Fire and Ice
by tlf
Summary: Rich girl Buffy falls for Poor boy Angel. AU. All Humans
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!!! I found this story awhile ago and knew that it had to be shared. I am NOT the original author. I tried to contact her but her email was invaild. Her penname is Michelle. I found her work of Land of Denial. I don't know if that is her original site or not. So PLEASE don't sue....I'll give you the first 5 chapters to see if you guys like it as much as I did...

"You cheated!" five year old Melissa Riches yelled at the girl playing hopscotch with her.

Buffy Summers put her hands on her hips, stopping dead in her tracks. "I did not. I skipped the four!"

"No, you didn't! Your sneaker touched it. You lost, Buffy. I won."

"No, I won!"

Redheaded Willow Rosenberg ran over. "Don't yell. It's not nice."

"Willow, Buffy cheated," Melissa whined.

"You're lying. I didn't cheat!"

Melissa hated Buffy. She thought the little blonde girl was the meanest person on earth. "You are so mean, Buffy. I hate you." She shoved Buffy with both of her hands, causing her to fall backward onto the concrete.

From the other side of the playground, Melissa's twin brother saw his sister push their classmate. He ran over to find out what had happened. "Missy, why did you push Buffy?" he demanded angrily.

"She cheated, Angel!" Melissa explained. "So I pushed her."

"That's not nice," he chastised. "I'm telling Mom when we get home."

"You're a tattletale."

"I don't care. You shouldn't push people."

Melissa pouted. "You are as mean as Buffy is. Buffy and Angel sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Angel pushing a baby carriage. Sucking his thumb, wetting his pants, baby's gonna do the hula dance."

She kept singing it as she walked away, Willow following her like a puppy. Buffy was still sitting on the ground, angry tears in her green eyes. "I didn't cheat," she told Angel, whimpering.

"Missy's a sore loser." He took Buffy's hand and helped her up.

"Do you think I'm mean?"

Angel shook his head. "No. I think you're pretty."

She giggled. Her father was the only person who ever told her she was pretty. "I like you, Angel. You aren't mean like your sister. I don't like her."

"I don't like her either," he agreed.

"Will you be my boyfriend?" Buffy asked.

He scrunched up his nose. "Ew! Girls have kudies."

"I do not! And I'm not a girl. I'm Buffy."

Angel thought about it for a minute. "Okay, I'll be your boyfriend."

"Yay! I love you, Angel," she said, kissing him quickly on the lips.

"I love you, too, Buffy."

***

(13 years later)

"I can't do this anymore, Angel," Kelley Page said to her boyfriend when he dropped her off at her house after their date.

He sat behind the wheel of his Ford Taurus, looking at her with confusion in his brown eyes. "What are you talking about? Can't do what anymore?"

Kelley sighed. "Us. I'm sorry, but I just can't take it."

"I must be missing a piece of the puzzle or something because I'm really lost."

"How long have we been dating, Angel? Three years, give or take a few months? In some societies, we'd be considered an old married couple by now. And look at us. You don't touch me except to kiss me. In those three years, you've never even attempted to lay a hand on me."

Angel lifted his eyebrows at his girlfriend. "And that's a bad thing?"

"Yes! No! I don't know. Look, all I know is that we never got past the kissing stage of our relationship. We should have been at the next level years ago."

"I'm sorry, Kell, but you know that I don't want to yet. It's just not on my list of priorities," he explained. "There are other things that are more important to me."

She nodded. "I know that, but…but I can't wait any longer. I didn't want to be the last virgin in our graduating class, so I…"

"You what?"

"Found someone who wasn't as noble and chivalrous as you are, so to speak. I want to be with him. Parker doesn't have all the insane goals you do. Angel, I want to break up."

He processed the information. "Let me get this straight. You're dumping me because I don't want to have sex?"

"That's only part of the reason, but it is a reason. I want to get out of this town and do something with my life, make a name for myself. How can I do that if I'm Mrs. Angel Riches, wife of the local department store manager? You're never going to leave Sunnydale and I can't live here forever."

"I have dreams that I want to fulfill, I will get out of here," he swore.

Kelley shook her head. "No, you won't. You only think you will. As long as your mother is sick, you'll still be here supporting her. Angel, you're too loyal to leave. You have obligations that will always come before me. I'm fine with that; hell, I even understand it. But I want something more, and I am not going to find it with you."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

She shrugged. "I guess I just came to the realization. I still care for you, but I fell out of love with you a long time ago."

"Get out of the car, Kelley," he ordered softly.

"I'm sorry. You'll find someone else, I know you will," she said as she got out of his car.

After she shut the door, Angel peeled out of the driveway, heading home. For three years, he devoted himself to Kelley and to being the perfect boyfriend. And how did she repay him? By dumping him for Parker Abrams, the town bad boy.

Angel decided right then and there that he would no longer be anyone's doormat. He was sick and tired of people walking all over him. And he swore to himself that it would never happen again.

***


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

2

Adrienne Riches sat on the couch when Angel stormed through the front door. "How was your date with Kelley tonight?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Mom."

"Is something wrong?"

He nodded. "Kelley…she decided I'm not enough for her anymore. She wants more than she thinks I'm capable of giving her. So she got it from someone else."

"I'm so sorry. I know how much you care about her."

"She was my first girlfriend, the first girl I ever really kissed and the first I loved. And now after three years, I'm not what she wanted. I always expected to be with Kelley forever."

Mrs. Riches frowned. "Breaking up is never easy. It's hard and it'll hurt and it will take some time, but pretty soon you'll find another girl who's crazy about you."

Angel shrugged. "Sometimes I wonder if there is anyone out there for me. Kelley sure wasn't."

"Hey, don't say that. You're smart, funny, articulate, handsome and talented. Not to mention loyal, gifted, kind, generous, hardworking and so many other things. You're a good boy, Angel. Girls like that."

"No, Mom, you're wrong. The girls at Sunnydale High like the bad boys. Guys like me end up alone, staying at home on Friday nights watching old movies with their mothers. The good guys don't always get the girl."

"Then maybe Kelley wasn't the right girl."

"Maybe you're right. You know, I always thought she respected me because I never pushed it, because I always acted like a gentleman when we were together. Turns out she wanted me to push it, and when I wouldn't, she found it with someone else. She walked all over me, seeing God knows how many other guys behind my back for I don't know how long. I'm never going to let that happen again."

"You're hurting. Just give your wounds time to heal," his mother suggested.

He took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm really beat, I think I'll go to bed now." He leaned down, kissing his mother softly on the cheek. "Good night."

She smiled. "Sweet dreams, honey."

Angel walked into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. A solitary tear fell out of his eye when he plopped down on his bed. He had refused to let himself cry in front of his mother, she had enough to worry about, she didn't need to add his breakup to the mix.

A soft knock came from the door and his sister Melissa came in a few seconds later. "How are you doing, bro?" she asked, sitting down on the bed next to him.

"I've been better. How about you?"

She made a face. "Who cares about me? I'm talking about you. Look, I heard you talking to Mom. Sorry to hear about you and Kelley. She's such a bitch for cheating on you with Parker."

"How did you know about Parker?" he wanted to know.

"I–I just heard about it today in English. She was telling Cordelia Chase about him. I guess she's been seeing him for a couple months now and he gave Kelley an ultimatum. Either you go or he goes."

Angel closed his eyes. "And she chose him. She let me go."

"That's her mistake, then. Obviously she doesn't know a good thing when she sees it. Want me to beat her up for you?" Melissa asked, tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder.

He smiled for the first time in an hour. "No thanks, Missy."

She stood up. "Kelley will be sorry, don't worry. Do you want me to hook you up with one of my friends? Willow or Anya or someone? I'm sure there's plenty of girls at Sunnydale High dying to go out with you, Mr. Valedictorian."

Angel shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but no thanks. I don't think I'm ready to jump back into the dating pool right away."

"All right, have it your way. I'm really sorry, Angel. Nobody deserves to be treated like that, especially you. You're such a great guy, any girl would be lucky to have you. Hell, if I weren't your sister…"

"Thanks, I think."

"Get some sleep. Because tomorrow morning, it's back to the hectic world of being single. Girls will be chasing you down like you're one of the Beatles or something once they know you're available."

"Somehow, I doubt it. See you in the morning."

"Okay. Night."

***

He climbed out of bed at four in the morning, unable to sleep any longer. Kelley's revelation plagued his thoughts, his dreams, it consumed every part of him. Angel couldn't get over that his girlfriend of three years had dumped him for being too noble and gentlemanly. Throwing on a tank top, sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants, he decided to vent his anger with extreme exercise.

Running out the door, Angel jogged. For miles; he sprinted through the town of Sunnydale, illuminated by only the moon and streetlights, trying to clear his head. A part of him was glad to be out of a relationship with Kelley. It was apparent that she wasn't nearly as committed to him as he was to her. Why suffer through a one-sided relationship with the end result being nothing but misery? But another part of him was bitter and angry that she had treated him like that, like he was simply disposable. And yet another part wanted to do nothing more than to forget.

He ran through the ritzy section of town, passing by the Summers' and Chase's mansions, side by side. The bedrooms in the houses were probably bigger than his entire house, Angel always thought. He wondered, sometimes, if his life would have been remarkably different if he'd lived in one of those houses instead of a tiny, three bedroom home in the poorest part of town. Would he be the same person? After years of pondering, Angel decided he'd never know.

Returning home at five-thirty, Angel immediately headed for the musty, damp basement. In the easternmost corner he'd put his workout necessities. A punching bag, rowing machine, bar and weights. Ripping off his sweatshirt and tossing it to the floor, Angel began to pummel the punching bag, pretending that it was really Parker Abrams.

Melissa heard her brother enter the house and got up to see what he was doing. She found him laying into the punching bag as if it had pissed him off, and cautiously took a step closer.

"You okay?" she asked.

Angel took another swing. "Fine," he replied without bothering to look up

"Angel, it's not good to keep things in."

"I'm not keeping anything in."

Melissa placed her hands on her hips. "Really? Because that's not how it seems to me. Talk to me, tell me how you really are."

He stopped, holding the bag in place. "Do you honestly want to know?"

"I'm your sister, I love and care about you and I'm concerned. Tell me."

"If you really want to know, fine, I'll tell you. I hurt, my heart is broken and I feel like my entire life is over."

She shook her head. "Don't say that. You're life is not over. Kelley is just a stuck-up, self-centered bitch for treating you like her lap dog for so long. Don't give up on everything you've worked for over her."

"You make it sound like I'm planning on committing suicide or go on a mass homicide spree and take out everyone that ever hurt me. I'm not that far gone in my anger. I don't hate the world. Right now I want to vent my anger and get on with my life."

"Maybe it's for the best. This can be a new chapter in your life. A whole new Angel. Think of it as your golden opportunity."

"No, if people can't accept me for who I am, that's their problem, not mine. But I refuse to change, or be someone I'm not just to please people. I spent three years trying to be the guy Kelley wanted me to be and I'm no better for it. There's bound to be someone out there who'll accept me for me and vice versa."

Melissa clapped her hands at her brother's speech. "Good for you. It's about damn time." She turned and headed for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Angel asked, assuming that she's want to talk some more.

"Back to bed," she answered with a yawn. "It's too early to wake up for school. I can still get another hour of sleep. Oh, and do us all a favor before you get dressed for school…shower. You're sweaty and smelly. *So* not the impression you want to make on the single girls of Sunnydale High. Think less sweat and more stud. Later!"

***

Cordelia Chase bounded down the hall towards her friend's locker. She was practically jumping out of her skin with jubilation. Having just heard the best news in a long time, she needed to share it with her closest friend.

"I have got the greatest news in the world!" Cordelia exclaimed upon reaching the locker.

Buffy Summers pulled out her English book. "What's so exciting, Cordy? You look like you won the lottery."

"Kelley just told me that she went through with it. I can't believe it."

"Went through with what?"

Cordelia sighed. "Breaking up with Angel. I mean, they've been dating forever and she's been seeing Parker Abrams behind his back for months and now she gave Angel the old heave-ho."

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "And why is this such great news to you? Some guy gets dumped and you're happy about it?"

"It's the opportunity I've been waiting for since…well, since forever. He's available, I'm available and *definitely* looking to hook up with him."

"You and Angel?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"Yep. Why, do you have a problem with that?"

She shut her locker door. "Not me. But if you want to lower yourself to that, then I say go for it. But you're risking your entire reputation."

"Excuse me?"

"Look, I'm going to tell you exactly what I think. First of all, he's a brain. Class Valedictorian. How are you going to keep up a conversation with him?"

"Well…we'll find something to talk about, I'm sure. Besides, who cares if he's a brain? The guy is gorgeous. Tall, dark and handsome with rippling muscles…hello, salty goodness!"

Buffy shook her head. "Okay, so he's hot. He's also dirt poor. Can you handle dating a guy that can't even afford a decent car? Look at what he drives; it's older than us and practically falling apart!"

Cordelia bit her lip. "I never thought about that."

"That's why you have me. To remind you of stuff like that. Cordy, do yourself a favor. Don't waste your time on some little flight of fancy. A loser like him isn't worth your time."

The bell rang for class. As she headed for her English class, Buffy smiled. She knew Cordelia wouldn't be able to stand a chance with Angel, not when she herself had been awaiting this opportunity for thirteen years. If anyone was going to be with him, it would be her.

***

Xander Harris took the seat next to his best friend. "Sorry to hear about it, man," he said to Angel.

Angel shrugged his shoulders. "It was probably for the best."

"You don't seem to be taking it too hard," Xander observed.

"I can't change the past, which is fine. I want to put it behind me. There's no sense dwelling on what might have been. Kelley and I are over and I have to move on. Three years of my life with her and this is where I ended up. It's over. End of story."

"What're you going to do about Prom?"

"Probably won't go. I'll work the late shift, more than likely," Angel answered.

Xander perked up, plastering a goofy smile on his face. "You can be my date," he offered jokingly.

"I'm not going to the Prom with you, as appealing as that sounds."

"Well, I am determined to win Class Clown and I need all the votes I can get. So you had better go."

"I'll tell Missy to vote for you twice."

"Does she have a date?" Xander questioned hopefully.

Angel laughed. "I know you've got a crush on my sister. Just ask her, I'm sure Missy will say yes. She's always saying how funny you are."

"You sure? She really said that about me?"

"Just ask her already!"

Mr. Giles, their English teacher, entered the classroom. "All right, settle down, class," he ordered in his thick British accent. "As you are well aware, today I am giving out your assignments for your final presentations. You'll be paired up with another student to give a five minute presentation about a specific author."

Angel listed with half an ear until his name was called out, pairing him with another student."Angel Riches and Buffy Summers, you'll be working together regarding Nathaniel Hawthorne."

He turned his head around, looking at Buffy Summers sitting diagonal to him. She shook her head as a sign of boredom. 'Oh yeah, I'm going to really enjoy this,' he thought. 'The Ice Princess.'

***


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

3

Xander laughed when he heard who his best friend was paired with. He leaned over, whispering, "My sympathies, man. Expect your first B ever."

Angel sighed. It wasn't going to be a fun project, but he was not about to get anything less than an A on it, regardless of his partner.

Class continued, Mr. Giles lecturing about the symbolism in Walt Whitman's poem "Oh Captain, My Captain." As diligently as ever, Angel copied down what the teacher was saying, knowing full well that Xander was not paying the least bit of attention. Usually during lunch, his friend would copy the notes so he didn't fall behind. But Angel loved hearing about the poem and its relationship to the Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln. Literature intrigued him.

Mr. Giles stopped the class five minutes before the bell rang for the end of the period. "Now, I've ended class early so that all of you may get together with your partners and discuss your presentations. May I remind you that this project counts for thirty percent of your final grade. I expect nothing less than a three minute presentation from each pair. You may use visual aides if you deem them necessary. Very well, you have until three weeks from Tuesday. Also, keep in mind that I am aware that that particular date is the Tuesday following Prom and I will not accept any excuses for unpreparedness."

Xander patted Angel on the shoulder. "Good luck. See you at lunch."

Inwardly groaning, Angel turned around, finding that his partner was impatiently tapping her pen against her desk. He placed his books on the empty desk next to her and sat down.

"So, where do you want to start?" Angel asked.

Buffy shrugged. "I don't care. Wherever you want to begin is fine with me."

"You aren't going to make this easy, are you?"

"Sorry," she apologized half-heartedly. "I'm not in a study kind of mood right now."

Angel resisted the urge to ring her thin little neck. She was really aggravating him. "Look, obviously we're not going to get anything done right now. Do you want to meet at the library after school today?"

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Library?"

"Yeah. You know, where the books live."

"I know what a library is, thank you very much. Besides, I hate them. My dad has tons of historical literature books, including a lot of biographies. I'm sure he's got one on Hawthorne. Do you want to just meet at my house at three? You know where I live, right?"

"I think I can find it." 'Like anyone is Sunnydale *doesn't* know where Buffy Summers lives,' Angel thought. "But I can't stay for too long. I have to be at work at five."

She smiled. "Great, it's a date." 'Date. A date with Angel…well, sort of. This is turning out to be a red letter day after all. Eat your heart out, Cordelia Chase. He's all mine.'

***

"So, how'd it go?" Xander questioned Angel when he found his friend sitting at a table next to the windows, biting into his tuna fish sandwich.

"How did what go?"

Xander took a sip of his Pepsi. "Your little meeting with the Ice Princess. I'm surprised you survived the ordeal."

"Oh. She's completely exasperating. I honestly almost hit her. Total snob, that's for sure," Angel explained. "I'm going over to her house at three today to work on our presentation."

"Having a little tête-à-tête?

Angel scoffed. "Hardly. Five minutes alone with her and I might go insane."

"Five minutes with whom?" a female voice asked.

The two guys looked up, seeing Melissa holding a tray across the table from them. Angel smiled at his sister while the other boy remained tongue-tied. Melissa always took his breath away. It never failed; Xander thought she was one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever seen, and had harbored a crush on her since he was a young boy.

"Buffy Summers," Angel answered.

"Why do you have to spend five minutes with her? She's evil, nasty, snobby and a whole bunch of other things that shouldn't be said in public."

"She and I were paired up by Mr. Giles to work on our final project together. Either I'll go nuts or homicidal, but it won't be pretty either way."

Melissa made a face. "Ugh. That's harsh."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I'm not at all looking forward to it. But, it's thirty percent of my final grade, so I guess I'll just grin and bear it. We only three weeks, and I'm sure we'll have it done by this weekend if we really work hard."

She laughed at her brother. "Sucks to be you. I'd hate to be working with Buffy. It's like working by yourself."

"I know. It'll definitely be a challenge."

Angel looked out the window to the sunny, grassy courtyard. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Kelley and Parker seated at one of the stone benches, engaged in a steamy embrace. Tears stung his eyes and one escaped, traveling down his cheek.

This didn't go unnoticed by his best friend. "You okay, Angel?"

Angel nodded quickly, wiping away his solitary tear. "Uh-huh. I–I'm going to the library to get a head start on that English project. Bye." He picked up his books and left the cafeteria in a hurry.

"What was that all about?" Melissa wanted to know.

Xander gazed out the window, seeing Kelley and Parker kissing. "I think I know." He pointed them out to her.

She fumed. "That brazen little bitch! Has she no common decency? I ought to go teach her a lesson for being so inconsiderate. And for breaking my brother's heart. She's making him miserable and they're not even dating anymore!"

"Angel's a tough guy, he'll bounce back."

"I can't believe she did that to him. After three years together and right before the Senior Prom. That girl has no class whatsoever."

Xander took a deep breath. "Um…speaking of the Prom, I…uh, I have a question to ask you."

"What question?"

"Would go with my date? That came out wrong, I meant to say, will you be my date?" he corrected himself nervously.

Melissa stared wide eyed at the boy. "Me? Go with you?"

He nodded. "Well, if you don't mind being seen going to the most important dance of our high school career with the class clown." When she didn't answer, Xander continued talking. "I'll understand if you say no, but at least –"

"I'll go with you."

"-- give it some thought…what?"

She grinned. "I'd love to go with you, Xander."

He jumped out of his chair. "This is so cool! I'm going to the Prom with Missy Riches!" He broke into a crazy dance, making Melissa laugh. She knew right then and there that she'd have a great time with him. Her only concern was finding a date for her brother.

***

Buffy applied a fresh coat of lipstick in the front hall, eagerly awaiting Angel's arrival. She wanted to look her best when he got there. In her mind, it was their first date; a date she'd been waiting for since their first kiss thirteen years earlier.

The doorbell rang and she jumped from the initial shock. 'He's here. Okay, act natural, Buffy. But charm him,' she reminded herself. She opened the door, smiling sincerely at the handsome young man on the other side.

"Hi. You're early," Buffy greeted.

"I figured we'd get more done that way," he replied. "Since I can only be here until four-fifteen."

She moved to the side, allowing Angel to step through the entryway. "Well, come on in and let's get started."

***

"Would you like something to drink? There's iced tea and soda in the fridge. Or if you're hungry, we have sandwiches and cookies," Buffy offered when she led Angel through the hallway.

He shook his head. "No thanks. I ate a big lunch," he replied.

"Okay. Do you want to get started?"

"Yes, I do. Did you find anything useful or helpful in your father's books?"

"Didn't get a chance to look yet. I just got home right before you got here." It was a lie. She'd sped the entire way home so she could adjust her hair and makeup before Angel arrived.

He clenched his jaw. "Why don't we look? The sooner we get started, the sooner we'll finish." 'I don't think I can take too much of this,' the thought. 'I'll really go nuts. She's driving me crazy already.'

"Follow me."

Buffy led him to her father's expansive library, cutting through the kitchen, family room and living room. Angel stared in awe at some of the furniture. Hand-crafted, most likely, along with expensive paintings and other antique decorations. 'I'll never live in a house this beautiful,' Angel concluded. 'Not even if I win the lottery four or five times.'

When they entered Mr. Summers' library, Angel practically had to hold onto the door frame to keep from falling over. Never in his eighteen years had he seen so many books in one place, including the Sunnydale Public Library. He could see rare first editions and collector's items.

"I know Dad's got a few books by Hawthorne but I can't remember their titles," Buffy said.

"I only know two off-hand. _The Scarlet Letter_ and _The Blithedale Romance_. We'll probably have better luck if we take separate ends of the library. It'll get done quicker that way. You start here and I'll go to the other end," Angel suggested.

She nodded. It still astounded her that the boy she'd always had a crush on was actually standing in her home, and talking to her. It blew her mind. Granted, it took thirteen years and a high school English project to get it to happen, but Buffy wasn't about to let the opportunity pass her by. It was pretty much now or never.

She and Angel searched for five minutes in silence before either of them said anything. "Oh my God, I didn't realize Daddy still had this book. Have you ever read _Charlotte's Web_, Angel?"

He nodded impatiently. "A long time ago."

"It was one of my favorites. My mother used to read it to me before bed. What about _Flowers in the Attic_? Have you read that one?"

"Are you actually helping me look for these books or are you just reliving your childhood?" Angel demanded. "'Cause I have places to be."

Buffy sighed heavily. "Excuse me for trying to make civilized conversation."

"I didn't come here to converse, I came to work on this project we have to do. If you're not going to help me, then I'll leave and go to the public library."

"Sorry," she snottily replied.

"Look, maybe you don't care about this project, but I do. And I refuse to get anything less than an A on it because you have other things you'd rather be doing," he shot at her. His patience had worn thin and Angel was about to lose his temper.

Buffy glared at him. "Are you always this much of a jerk or is it because your girlfriend dumped you like yesterday's garbage?"

"You don't know anything about me or my problems. And don't you dare bring Kelley into this, or my relationship with her."

"Don't you mean former relationship? She's seeing Parker Abrams now, isn't she? Wow, she must have really gotten tired of the bug that seems to have crawled up your ass and died."

"Go to hell."

"No need to be so snotty. I was simply stating my opinion."

Something inside of Angel snapped. "That's it. I don't have to take this from you of all people. What the hell do you know about real people and their problems? Absolutely nothing! You live here in this grand old house of yours with your servants to wait on you hand and foot, completely sheltered from the outside world. You don't know what other people are going through.

"Not everybody has Daddy to take care of them. Some people are just getting by, working full-time and going to school while trying to survive because their father left when they were ten years old. And not everybody is going to automatically get accepted at an Ivy League college because their father plays golf with the Dean of Admissions. There are people who can work all their lives to get straight A's and have to go to community college because they can't afford to go to Emerson College, even though they got accepted there. So do me and yourself a favor, Buffy, and keep your opinions to yourself."

"You don't have to yell at me, my God. I don't appreciate it."

He shook his head. "I give up. I don't think I can work with you. I'll do the project by myself and drop off the notes when I'm done." Angel headed for the door, but turned around before exiting. "You know, I knew this wasn't going to work out. We're from two different worlds. Good-bye."

Buffy stared at the door after he left. 'What the hell just happened here? I don't know, but I have to do something. I can't let him think of me like that or he'll hate me. Not when I want him to love me like I love him.'

***


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

4

"Did you have fun at Buffy's house researching?" Melissa asked Angel when he returned.

"It was a blast, let me tell you. I'm doing the rest of the project by myself 'cause it beats the hell out of working with her," he explained.

She laughed. "Told you. Once a stuck-up snotty bitch, always a stuck-up snotty bitch. Some people will never change."

"I don't get women and I don't think I ever will. I've decided to give up on them," Angel announced.

"You can't do that, Angel. You can't give up on dating. Who's going to double at Prom with me and Xander?"

Angel raised his eyebrows. "You and Xander?"

She nodded her head. "He asked me today during lunch and I said yes. So, he's my Prom date. And now you have to go. I won't let you sit around at home while I'm there with Xander. Not going to happen."

"I don't know. Don't hold your breath, Missy."

"Angel…" she whined.

"We'll see. I have a question, though. What made you say yes to Xander?" he wanted to know.

Melissa shrugged. "He asked and I said yes. I've always like Xander, you know that. I know I'll have a good time with him and besides, you never know what might happen. It could be the beginning of something great."

"Congrats."

"Now all that's left is to find someone for you to go with."

"Kelley and I broke up less than twenty-four hours ago and you're already trying to set me up? Can't you just let nature take its course?"

"Because I know you. You're stubborn, Angel. If I don't take the initiative here and find you a girlfriend, or at the very least a Prom date, you'll never do it. And I won't stop until I do."

***

After dinner that night, Buffy drove to the department store her father owned. She needed to see Angel; needed to apologize for her nasty comments earlier that day. He'd mentioned that he had to work the night shift, so she decided to pay him a visit.

The store wasn't very crowded, and Buffy saw him as soon as she set foot inside. He was behind the cash register in lane seven, laughing with another employee, a pretty brunette girl she vaguely recognized from school. It burned inside to see Angel smile and laugh with someone that wasn't her.

There wasn't anything she needed to purchase; her sole purpose in going to the store was to see Angel. But she wanted to make it seem like a coincidence, them running into each other, not a planned effort on her part. So, she knew she'd have to buy something to make it seem less conspicuous.

"…so I told her she'd need a better excuse if she was going to call in sick. Her goldfish dying isn't a good reason to miss work. It's a fish, they die everyday. Big deal. Buy a new one and get over it."

Angel smiled. "A dog I could understand, but a fish? That I don't get, Liz."

"Me neither. But the two of us should be able to handle it. Besides, if I'm going to be stuck here until closing time, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be stuck here with than you," Liz flirted.

"Same goes for me." He knew she was flirting with him, but didn't care. Liz Daniels wasn't his type. Although after being with Kelley for so long, Angel wasn't sure what his type was anymore. Granted, Liz was a nice person, but she was someone he couldn't see as anything more than a friend. And the last thing he wanted was another girlfriend.

"I was surprised to hear about you and Kelley breaking up. You two seemed like you were in it for the long haul."

Angel frowned. "So did I."

"I guess you two just weren't meant to be."

"Guess so." He didn't want to talk about his breakup. It stung, knowing that he'd been more committed to Kelley than she'd been to him.

"Does this mean you're looking for a Prom date?" Liz wanted to know.

He raised his eyebrows, knowing exactly what she was asking. "No. I don't think I'm going to go."

"Prom is such a big deal. Right of passage, coming of age deal, right?"

"I'd rather stay home by myself." 'Beats spending the entire night watching Kelley and Parker grope each other.'

"Oh. Um, you've got a customer, Angel."

He turned around, face to face with Buffy. 'She had to pick my lane? Can my day get any worse?' he wondered. "Did you find everything you needed?" he asked formally.

She smiled at him. Her heart fluttered the second his eyes met hers; it never failed. A simple glance form him always did that to her. "Hi, Angel. Yeah, I did find everything I needed."

"Do you want me to put this on your account?"

"No, I'll pay for it now." She paused before beginning her next sentence. "How are you doing?"

Several lanes away, Liz couldn't help but laugh softly. None of the employees of the department store liked it when Buffy came in to buy something. Liz personally couldn't stand the owner's daughter, thinking that Buffy was nothing more than a spoiled rotten, nasty bitch. Her nickname around town was "Ice Princess." Someone had jokingly called her that and it ended up sticking. In Liz's opinion, the name fit the girl's personality. Cold as ice.

"I'm fine. Not much has changed since this afternoon."

Buffy took a deep breath. "I want to apologize to you."

"Why?"

"I feel really bad. You don't deserve the things I said to you and I am sorry, Angel. About everything."

Angel simply gazed at her, his face devoid of expression. "Okay. Apology accepted."

"That's it?"

"Was there supposed to be more?"

"Do you forgive me?"

"Sure."

Another customer had come up behind Buffy in line. He stood there, listening to the conversation between the two. The man waited rather impatiently while Buffy and Angel spoke. "Hey," he began. "I'm in a hurry here."

"Calm down, buddy. We'll only be another minute," Buffy replied in a snappish tone.

"You're going to get me in trouble, Buffy," Angel whispered. "I can't afford to get fired. Are you finished?"

Buffy shook her head. "My dad's not going to fire you, don't worry."

The man behind her exhaled loudly. "If you and your girlfriend are going to be having a lover's spat, could you speed it up? Some of us have places to go and people to see."

"She's not my girlfriend," Angel told him. "And we're not having a lover's spat."

She turned to the man, smiling sweetly and innocently. "Excuse me, but I see other open checkout lanes, so why don't you go to one of them? My friend and I are trying to have a conversation."

The customer narrowed his eyes at Angel. "I am having you reported to the owner, young man. You won't be working here for much longer once I'm through."

"Oh, will you?" Buffy challenged. "You know what, sir? Go right ahead. I'm the owner. Buffy Summers, pleased to make your acquaintance. What's the problem?"

Aggravated, the man took his cart and pushed it to Liz's lane, mumbling something about the corrupted youth of America. Buffy laughed. "Well, that was fun."

"No, it wasn't."

"You need to loosen up a little, Angel. You're all work and no play. It makes for a dull Angel."

"I like myself that way," he replied.

She frowned. "Yeah, but you push people away with that kind of attitude. You keep yourself detached from the outside world when there are people like me who want to get to know the real you, not the image you give off."

"Are you done yet?"

"Not quite. Look, the main reason I came here was to see you. I wanted to say how sorry I am."

"You've done that already."

"And I want to make it up to you. I want to keep working on that project with you. I promise to be more productive of a partner and I won't get pissy with you again," she promised.

"Fine."

She smiled. "Good. There's one more thing, too. Do you have plans tomorrow night?"

Angel lifted his eyebrows. "Why do you ask?"

"I want to make up for my bitchiness this afternoon. I'd like you to come over for dinner. Home cooked by me, of course," Buffy invited.

"Buffy…"

"Oh, yeah, by the way, I'm not taking 'no' for an answer. I probably should have mentioned that before. Is five-thirty good for you? I checked your schedule while I was shopping, you're not working, so you can't use that as an excuse."

Angel had to admit that her invitation came as a surprise to him. The last thing he ever expected was for Buffy to invite him over for dinner. "It's fine."

"Cool. Then I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow." Buffy took her bag in her hand and walked out of the store, a huge grin plastered on her face.

'What did I just get myself into? A date with the she-devil herself,' Angel thought.

***

Before class the next morning, Angel stood in front of his locker, pulling out the books he'd need for his first three classes. He had been moving sluggishly all morning; he'd overslept and had not bothered going through his usual morning workout routine. Deep down, he knew what it was: nerves. The prospect of having a dinner date with Buffy was making him nervous and frazzled.

When he returned home from work and told Melissa what had happened with Buffy, his sister couldn't keep herself from laughing. To her, nothing seemed funnier than her brother going out on a date with Buffy Summers.

"It's not that funny, Missy," he chastised her.

Melissa doubled over in a fit of laughter. "Yes, it is. Buffy 'Ice Princess' Summers making you dinner. Does she even know how to cook? Or is she just calling for take out?"

"I don't know, but at least I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Besides, you never know. I might have a good time."

"Yeah, sure you will. Just remember, I told you so."

'Maybe it won't be as bad as I think. Buffy and I might actually hit it off…nah,' Angel thought as he placed his Economics book into his backpack.

A shadow fell over his locker, blocking out most of the light. He looked up to see the source of the darkness. Standing off to his left was Kelley. She flashed him an unsure smile. "Hi, Angel."

"Kelley. Can I help you with something?" he asked coldly.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay. What do you want?"

Kelley shifted uncomfortably. "I came to give you this." She handed him several twenty dollar bills. "It's from Parker."

"He's giving me money in exchange for my girlfriend? I didn't realize it was a commercial transaction," Angel commented sarcastically.

"You're angry and bitter, I understand that," she began. "But you don't have to take it out on me, or Parker for that matter. What you and I had was over a long time ago."

"What's the money for, then?"

"The limo for Prom. Since you and I aren't going together anymore, Parker thought it would be nice to give you your money back. So, here it is."

He took it out of her hand. "Fine."

Kelley sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for hurting you. If it's any consolation, I still think you're a really great guy and that you'll make another girl very happy. I guess I'm just not that girl."

Angel nodded. "Tell Parker thank you. The money will pay a lot of bills this month."

"I will. How's your mother doing?"

On her way to her first class, Buffy passed by Angel's locker, witnessing the conversation he was having with his ex-girlfriend. She nearly stopped dead in her tracks, unsure of what to think. 'Why are they talking? Kelley broke up with him and should just leave him alone. Doesn't she realize it's my turn? She never loved him, not the way I do…the way I have since he and I were kindergartners. No, they can't be making up. It wouldn't be fair.'

"Hey, Buffy," someone behind her called out.

Buffy tore her eyes away from Angel and Kelley, turning to see who was calling her. It was Cordelia. "What's up?"

"Not much. Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Why?"

"'Cause I picked up a new DVD and I thought you'd want to come over and watch it with me. I hate scary movies."

Buffy laughed. "Then why did you buy it?"

"I heard that Denise Richards gets electrocuted in the hot tub and to me, that in and of itself is worth twenty dollars to watch over and over again for my enjoyment. The skanky little bitch. Not to mention that the guy in the movie is really hot. Are you gonna come over or what?" she asked.

"Or what. Sorry, Cordy, I've got a date."

Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "Oh really? With whom?"

"Nobody you'd know." Buffy couldn't tell her it was with Angel. After what she'd said to Cordelia about him the day before, it would be too hard to explain her sudden change of heart.

"All right. Have fun. Gimme details." She caught sight of Angel and Kelley. "When did those two get back together?"

"I don't know if they did. Do you think it's possible?"

Cordelia shrugged. "I'm not sure. She did dump him, but she told me the other day that she enjoyed being with Parker. Something about the sex being really good."

"Oh. Sex with Angel wasn't?" She hoped Cordelia would not question why she was asking.

"More like the lack thereof. Kelley said they never did it." She paused for a moment. "Why do you care? I remember you telling me yesterday that he isn't worth our time."

"Just curious, I guess."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

5

As promised, Angel showed up at Buffy's house at exactly five-thirty. His heart pounded rapidly and his palms were sweaty, though he couldn't understand why. It wasn't as if he was going on a real date with her; it was dinner with Buffy. Taking a deep breath, Angel pressed his finger to the doorbell.

A minute later, Buffy opened the door. She flashed him a genuinely happy smile. "You're right on time. Come in, dinner's almost ready."

"Am I overdressed?" he wanted to know. While Buffy wore a pair of black jeans and a blue sweater, he'd chosen khaki pants and a white dress shirt.

"Not at all. You look really good."

"You look nice yourself."

Buffy turned away to hide the blush of her cheeks. "I, uh, I hope you like chicken. That's what I made."

"One of my favorites. You made it?"

"Yep. I promised a home-cooked meal by yours truly. Contrary to popular belief, we don't have a maid. I do all the cooking and cleaning; nobody's died from it yet, so that's a good sign."

He smiled. "I agree. But you didn't have to go to so much trouble."

"I told you last night that I wanted to make it up to you. So I made chicken breast, fried noodles and green beans. Hardly any trouble at all."

"Buffy…"

"Don't. Come on, let's eat."

***

"This is great. I've never tasted chicken like this before," Angel complimented halfway through the meal. "It's amazing."

"Thank you. I soaked it in chicken broth overnight. My mom said it keeps the meat tender and adds taste," Buffy explained.

"I'll have to thank her for the recipe."

She looked down. "She died when I was thirteen."

Angel felt like he'd put his foot in his mouth. "God, I forgot. I'm sorry, Buffy." Her mother had died in a car accident five years earlier. It had slipped his mind.

"It's okay." She reached under the table, pulling out a stack of typed pages. "These are for you," Buffy said, handing them to him.

He looked them over. "Where did you find all this?"

"Nathaniel Hawthorne's official site online. I stayed up late last night printing it all up. I felt bad about being such a bitch to you yesterday that I wanted to do all the work I could. I remember you telling me that you wanted to get it done as quickly as possible."

"You didn't have to. I was rather cranky yesterday myself. I don't usually snap on people like that."

"I deserved it. But I know. You're always really nice, I've noticed that about you. How about we start out with a clean slate?"

"I'd like that," he agreed, smiling.

"Great." She extended her hand to him. "I'm Buffy Summers, pleased to meet you."

"Angel Riches," he replied, shaking the hand Buffy offered.

Buffy bit her lower lip. "So, Angel, do you have a girlfriend?"

He shook his head. "Not anymore. I was heartlessly dumped by my girlfriend of over three years for another guy."

"You must have been heartbroken."

"I was. But I'm getting over it. It doesn't hurt so much anymore." 'Especially when I'm with you.'

***

Much to his surprise, Angel had a good time. He and Buffy found that they shared a common interest: reading Shakespearean plays. Never in his life would he have expected to have an intellectual conversation with her.

"Thank you. I had fun tonight," he said when Buffy escorted him to the front door at nine o'clock.

"I did, too. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Well, we do have class, so I assume the answer would be yes."

"I meant, do you want to come over and work on the project? Or we could just hang out and talk. That was fun, just doing that. Talking with you, I mean."

Angel only needed a moment to consider her offer. "It was. And sure. I'd love to."

She held the door open for him and he stepped down onto the porch. "Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." Without warning, she leaned over, placing her lips softly against his. She hadn't planned on doing it, but was pleasantly surprised when Angel returned the kiss.

"Good night," she said when it ended.

He could only nod. "'Night."

Buffy watched as he pulled out of the driveway. She'd kissed him and he'd kissed her back. Closing the front door, she leaned against it, sighing heavily. 'Maybe there is a chance.'

***

Melissa was waiting in the living room when Angel walked in the door at ten after nine. Both she and her mother were watching Dateline NBC when he came home.

"Did you have a good time, Angel?" Mrs. Riches asked.

"Uh-huh. I'm going in my bedroom, I'm tired. Good night."

Mrs. Riches stared after him. "Is he okay? Angel's usually more talkative about his dates. He hardly gave me any details. That's what I look forward to when you kids get home. The details."

Melissa shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what his problem is. But I'm going to find out. Be back in a little bit with those details, Mom."

She headed down the hall and knocked on her brother's door. "Angel, it's Missy. Let me in."

"Go away. I don't want to hear it."

"Hear what? Come on, don't be this way. I only want to find out how your date went. Please," Melissa begged.

Five seconds later, he opened the bedroom door. She entered, taking note of the fact that he'd strewn his clothes on the floor. Something was bothering him, that she knew. He was never that haphazard about his belongings; he'd always been a neat-freak. Angel himself sat on his bed in a pair of sweatpants, reading a stack of papers.

"Was it really that bad?" she wanted to know.

"It was fine," he answered simply, not bothering to look up from the papers.

Melissa sat down next to him. "If you're acting this way, I'm going out on a limb and saying that everything's not fine. What is it?"

"You have to promise not to say anything."

"I'll keep my mouth shut, I promise. What happened with Buffy, Angel? Did she try to poison your food or something?"

Angel shook his head. "Dinner was great. She made chicken, noodles and green beans, then brownies for dessert. She's a great cook, the best I'd say."

"Hey! I take offense to that. Who cooks your meals everyday?" Melissa joked.

"I didn't mean it like that. I've just never tasted anything so good in my life. It was different from the stuff you make."

Melissa looked closely at him. "You've got that look in your eye, Angel. Don't tell me you're falling for the Ice Princess."

"You know, Missy, I don't know. I think maybe I am."

"What?!" she screeched. "No, you're just on the rebound from Kelley. You don't actually have feelings for her…do you?"

"I do. She's not as bad as everyone thinks she is. Buffy's nice and funny and…well, pretty. We talked about all kinds of things, stuff you would never expect she'd have any interest in. Like books and poetry and baseball. I like her. Really, truly like her."

"What is wrong with you? Why are you acting so weird? She's just a girl. A rich, snobby girl."

"Forget it."

She widened her eyes. It all made sense to her. "Did you two actually do something besides talk?"

"There was a kiss. That's it."

"And you liked it," she assumed.

He nodded. "Yes, I did."

"Angel, we're talking about Buffy Summers here. The Ice Princess, the she-devil incarnate, whatever you want to call her. You're missing Kelley and that's making you think you have these feelings for Buffy. But you don't. It's not real. It's Kelley missage."

"You don't understand, and I wouldn't expect you to. But I felt more emotion and feeling in one kiss with Buffy than I did in three years worth of kisses from Kelley."

"Okay, let me get this straight. The super bitch from hell makes you dinner and gives you a kiss good night and now you're head over heels in love with her? You have gross emotional problems, are you aware of that?"

"There's nothing wrong with me, I'm emotionally fine. I'll admit it, I'm still hurt from what Kelley did, but you know what? When I'm with Buffy, the pain is less. It doesn't hurt. She makes me feel like me again," Angel explained to his sister.

"A girl like that will only hurt you. Please, don't get suckered in. I hate seeing you hurt."

He sighed. "I'm not going to get hurt. We shared a kiss and a nice dinner conversation."

"Are you going out with her again?"

"Tomorrow. We're working on our project at her house."

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

"What do you have against Buffy? You don't know her and she hasn't done anything to you."

Melissa blinked. "I know what she will do to you. Girls like her find nice guys like you and use them for their own amusement until something better comes along."

"What do you mean 'girls like her'?" Angel demanded.

"Rich girls."

"Rich girls don't have feelings? They aren't capable of them?"

"None that their fathers haven't bought for them."

"If you gave her a chance, you'd see that she isn't like that. She's nice and normal, just like us. Only with a bigger house and a better car."

Melissa shook her head. "No, thank you. But you know what? Have your fun. Just don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart into a million pieces."

***


	6. Chapter 6

6

"How was your date last night?" Cordelia asked pointedly when she found Buffy standing by her locker the next day.

Buffy smiled softly at the memory of her date with Angel. "It was nice. I had fun with him. And he seemed to enjoy the dinner I made."

Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "Really? So tell me, is Angel a good kisser?"

Unable to believe her friend's question, Buffy stood still in shock. 'How did she know?' She'd taken precautions in making certain Cordelia didn't find out she'd gone out with Angel. "What? How did…?"

"How could you do that, Buffy? Less than forty-eight hours ago you told me that he's not worthy of my time; that he and I have nothing in common. What makes you so different from me?" Cordelia questioned. "What do you two have in common that he and I don't?"

"Angel and I were assigned to work on a project for English class together and –"

"That's a load of bull and you know it. You had this planned, didn't you? You said all those things to me because you wanted Angel all to yourself. Am I right, Buffy? Did I hit the nail on the head?"

She nodded. "You're right. I did say those things to you so you'd forget about him. I wanted to be with him; I have since we were kids. We were assigned to work on a project for Mr. Giles' English class. I made some really nasty comments about him and Kelley and Angel got really angry with me. So I invited him over for dinner last night as a way of apologizing. And as for the kiss, it was completely unplanned. It sort of happened. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though. I don't think it made a big impression on Angel."

"From where I was standing, it looked like he was kissing you back," Cordelia said.

"I'm sorry, Cordy," apologized Buffy. "I didn't mean to do that to you."

She shrugged. "It's all right. At first it hurt, knowing you'd done that to me. But you can have him. I'll find someone else in the near future, I'm sure. It's pretty obvious that, after seeing you two kiss, you should be with him."

"You really think so?" Buffy asked.

"Oh yeah. He kissed you back, I'd say that's a good sign."

"I guess."

"When's the next date?" she wanted to know.

Buffy grinned. "After school. Angel's coming over to work on the presentation. Maybe hang out."

"You never did answer my question."

"What question?"

Cordelia laughed. "The kiss. Was it good?"

She sighed, a dreamy grin spreading across her features. "Made my knees weak. Does that answer your question?"

"Yep. Lucky you. No kiss has ever made me feel like that."

***

Xander nearly spit out his soda. "Are you serious?" he asked Melissa at lunch.

She nodded. "Dead serious. He told me last night when he got home."

"No way."

"Way. My brother and Buffy Summers engaged in a heated lip-lock. How gross is that? I had nightmares all last night from the mental images. Yuck."

"When? Why? How?"

Melissa shrugged. "Ask Angel. He's on his way over here right now."

They both watched as Angel walked over to their table to join them. It didn't escape his attention that Xander and Melissa were staring at him. "What? Do I have something on my face?" he wanted to know when he sat down.

"Are you on drugs?" Xander demanded, not very quietly.

Angel raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"Drugs. Are you on any?"

"Not to my knowledge," he answered. "What brought on that question, Xander?"

"Buffy Summers! You kissed her!" he shouted.

Angel's brown eyes glazed over with anger. "Not so loud! My god, the entire school doesn't need to know about it."

"Why? Is it supposed to be some big secret or something?"

"I don't know. But I don't want everyone knowing." He glared at his twin sister. "Missy?" he asked in a sedated tone. 'I should have known that she wouldn't keep it a secret,' he said to himself.

"Sorry. I had to tell Xander 'cause I figured you never would. Angel, it's only because we're concerned about you."

"This is my life, you know. And if I want to kiss Buffy Summers, I will. Frankly, I don't need your permission to do so," Angel defended himself.

Xander made a face. "Why would you even want to? Haven't you been tortured enough by the opposite sex this week? When did you become such a glutton for punishment? First Kelley, now Buffy."

"Did it ever occur to you that this is my life? I can do what I want and to whomever I want to do it to. I wasn't aware that I needed your permission. So just mind your own business. I don't spend my days and nights worried about who you're kissing. I'd appreciate it if you offered the same courtesy to me."

"Fine," Melissa agreed.

"Can I ask you one last question without you biting my head off?" Xander asked.

"What?"

"Why did you kiss her?"

Angel softly smiled. "It happened. I was leaving her house last night and when I turned around to say goodbye, Buffy kissed me."

"Was it a good kiss or a bad kiss?"

"A *very* good kiss. It threw me a little, though. I never expected it, but I liked it. A lot. I almost could get used to it."

Xander raised his eyebrows. "Are you going to go out with her again?"

"I wouldn't call it a date, but I am going over to her house after school today. We're going to finish up our English presentation.'

Melissa didn't want to hear any more about Buffy or her date with Angel. She knew that Xander and her brother would keep talking about it all through lunch, so she decided to end the conversation. "Can we talk about something else please?" 'Before I get nauseous.'

From three table away, Buffy sat half-listening to what Cordelia was telling her. She kept glancing in Angel's direction, hoping that he'd acknowledge her with a smile or a wave. But so far, no luck. He was engaged in a conversation with Xander and Melissa.

"Should I go with him? What do you think I should do?" Cordelia wanted to know.

Buffy looked up. "What?"

"I said Marcus asked me to the Prom. Should I go with him or wait for someone better?"

"It's up to you. Do what you want, Cordy."

"So what about you? Have you narrowed down the choices yet?"

She nodded. "I've got only one person on my list."

"Angel."

"Angel. I just don't know if he'll go with me," Buffy divulged.

"There's no harm in asking him. Do it when he comes over today. Besides, what guy could resist your charms?"

Cordelia was right. There would be no harm in asking Angel to go to Prom with her. The worst thing that could happen was that he'd say no. 'Then what? I'll be utterly heartbroken if he says no.'

***

Angel dropped the pen on the table. "That's it. We're done."

"The presentation's finished?" Buffy asked that afternoon.

"For the most part, yes. We just have to type it up, but I don't think that should take too long. Other than that, we're all done."

'Now there's no reason to invite him over anymore,' Buffy thought. 'What if we just go back to the way things were before? Me gazing at him from afar and Angel ignoring me.' "I guess that means you'll be going home now."

"Are you kicking me out?" he asked with a laugh.

"No!" she replied quickly. "Not at all. Unless you have to go, that is…"

"My shift doesn't start until five. So I've got another hour. Are you inviting me to stay for a little while?"

"If you'd like to. We could go upstairs to my room and listen to some CDs and talk," Buffy suggested.

Angel smiled at the invitation. "That sounds like fun. Lead the way."

With Angel only a few feet behind her, she led the way up the stairs to her bedroom. Buffy noticed his eyes widen when they entered. "You like?"

He nodded. "It's nice. Better than nice, actually. It's at least three times the size of my bedroom. You're really lucky."

"I guess. I have never considered myself lucky, though," Buffy admitted when she sat down on the edge of her bed.

Angel followed in suit. "Why not?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It's nice to have all these expensive things, but it all comes with a price tag."

"I don't understand." Angel couldn't believe that someone as wealthy and nice as Buffy could be unhappy with her life. She seemed to have it all.

She sighed. "I know what people really think of me, Angel; I know what they say behind my back when they think I don't hear it. They say I'm a bitch, a slut, that I'm stuck-up and snobby. That I live in this paper doll world, surrounded by maids and butlers. You think I don't know that everyone refers to me as the Ice Princess? It hurts to know that people can say those things about me without really getting to know me."

"None of those things they say about you are true, though." He himself had believed them but discovered how wrong he had been.

"Would you have honestly said that a week ago?"

"Probably not. But people are jealous of what you have. They don't hate you, they envy you."

Buffy lifted her eyebrows. "Even your sister?" It was common knowledge, even to her, that Melissa Riches hated her.

"I can't speak for Melissa, but I can speak for myself. Yes, I did envy you a little. And until yesterday, I believed all those things. I didn't want to give you a chance, I dreaded having to work on this presentation with you. Then I got to know you and I'm glad we were assigned to work together. Otherwise, I wouldn't have found out what a great, wonderful, lovely person you are."

Before she realized what was happening, Buffy felt Angel's lips on hers. They were warm and soft, pressing gently against hers. She instinctively moved closer to him and placed her hands on the back of his neck. Within a matter of moments, Angel pushed himself away.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have done that."

Buffy looked into his eyes. "Don't be sorry. I'm not. I'm glad you did it. Do you know how much I've wanted you to do that? How long I've waited for you to kiss me? You don't need to apologize for anything."

"Really? You actually wanted me to?"

She nodded. "Since we were five. You were my first boyfriend, remember?"

Angel laughed. "Yeah, I do." He glanced at his watch. "I think I had better get going."

"Do you want to come over tomorrow?" She knew she was being pushy and forward, but she didn't care. Knowing that she had a chance with Angel made her that way. His kiss had given her the confidence to ask.

"I can't. I have to take my mom to the doctor's for her checkup."

Buffy solemnly nodded her head. She remembered hearing that Angel's mother had breast cancer. "Okay."

"If you'd like, you can come with us. Keep me company. Missy has a softball game," Angel invited.

"I'd love to. As long as I'm not intruding."

"You're not. I'm sure my mom would like to meet you."

"Thank you for inviting me. What time should I be at your house?" she asked.

"Three-thirty?"

"I'm there."

He picked up his backpack. "Thanks for your help with the project. The internet information you dug up was a lifesaver."

"It's my project too. I couldn't let you do all the work."

They walked to the front door. "Um, Angel," Buffy started. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

She gulped. "I know it's short notice, but do you have a date for the Prom yet?"

"I was going with Kelley, but she'd rather go with Parker. So the answer is no, I don't have a date."

"H-How would you feel about going with me? As my date?" Buffy asked.

"I can't."

"Oh. Okay." She couldn't hide her disappointment at his refusal.

Angel immediately felt bad. "It's not that I don't want to go, I just can't. I signed up to work that entire weekend. I'm honored that you asked me, though."

"So, if you didn't have to work, would you have said yes? Be honest."

"Yes, I would have. We would have had a good time together. I'm sorry, Buffy. I really am."

"I understand." 'I'll find a way for us to go together if it kills me,' Buffy thought. 'And I know just the way to make it happen.'

***


	7. Chapter 7

7

Jason McKenzie sat in front of the company's computer, typing in the week's payroll. With the department store being slow, it was as good a time as any to get it done. A soft knocking on the glass of the door interrupted his work.

Looking up from the computer screen, he caught sight of the owner's daughter standing on the other side of the door. Saving his work, he waved her in, silently wondering what she wanted.

"Hi, Jason," Buffy greeted when she closed the door behind her. "I hope I'm not interrupting you."

He shook his head. "It's nothing that can't wait. What can I do for you, Buffy?"

"I sort of need a favor from you. You're in charge of the schedule, right? I mean, you decide who works what shifts, etc.?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm the manager. But I do more than that," Jason replied, trying to make his job seem more important.

"I'm sure you do. See, I have a problem and you can help me solve it."

"What problem would that be?"

"Prom. My Senior Prom is two weeks from tomorrow and I'm having a problem in the date department," Buffy said.

Jason raised his dark eyebrows. "You mean to say that a pretty girl such as yourself can't find a date? You're kidding."

"Kinda. I asked this guy I like to go with me, but he can't. It seems he signed up to work Prom weekend and therefore is unable to take me. And since you make up his work schedule, I was wondering if you could arrange it so he could have that weekend off," she explained. "You have no idea what it would mean to me if you could do that."

"Who's the lucky guy?" Jason wanted to know.

A small smile spread across her face. "Angel Riches."

Jason bit his lip. "If it was anyone else, Buffy, I'd say no problem, but Angel…I don't know. He works so many hours, it'll be hard to cover them. Even if it is only for a weekend."

"Hard, but not impossible. Please, Jason, it would mean the world to me to go with him."

"Friday I could definitely do, but the entire weekend? It's a holiday weekend. Memorial Day weekend. Big sale, it'll be crazy in the store. Not to mention that he's our best worker."

"I'm aware of that. But it's just Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I'll have him back to work on Monday afternoon, I swear. You guys can work short one body for a couple of days. Please, Jason. For me?" Buffy begged.

He relented. It could be done, everything Buffy suggested. Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was upset the owner's daughter. "Okay, I'll do it. I will make sure Angel gets that weekend off, even if I have to work his shifts."

She grinned. "Thank you so much. You just made my entire Senior year."

"Glad to help. But I have a question. Why the whole weekend?"

"I have a little vacation planned for the two of us." She noticed the expression on Jason's face. "Stop it. I didn't mean it like that. It'll be purely non-sexual. Do you think you can do me one more favor?" she asked.

"What?"

"Don't tell Angel. I want to tell him myself."

***

"Why is she going with you?" Melissa asked her brother a few minutes before Buffy was supposed to be at the Riches' home.

"Because I invited her, okay?"

"Buffy Summers is not family, she doesn't need to be going to Mom's doctor's appointments. Those are personal, family things."

Angel sighed. "If it's so important, then why aren't you going?"

"I have softball practice. You know that, Angel."

"Then skip it."

"Coach would kill me. The state championship is next weekend and you know how important that is to me," she defended herself.

"Do you want to know something? Mom's health and well-being are important to me, and Buffy's kind and caring enough to want to share in that. If you weren't so god-damned self-centered, Missy, you'd understand that," Angel shot at her.

Melissa folded her arms across her chest. "Whatever. If you ask me, she's just looking for an excuse to get in your pants."

"Then it's a good thing I didn't ask you." The doorbell rang. "Must be Buffy. Be nice to her."

"I'll try, but I'm not promising anything."

Angel opened the front door, greeting Buffy with a smile. "Hi. Come on in."

"Thanks." She stepped inside, trying not to show her shock at how tiny his house was. Even though she'd driven by it many times, it seemed smaller than she'd thought. "It's…"

"Small, I know. Well, at least compared to your house."

"I like it, though. It has that homey feeling. Like a real family lives here. And there's an air of comfort; the only rooms I feel comfortable in at my house are my bedroom and the kitchen."

He took Buffy's hand. "Why don't I introduce you to my mom? She's anxious to meet you."

"Should I be nervous?"

"Not at all," he answered, shaking his head. "I've told her nothing but good things about you."

She squeezed his hand. 'First we kiss and now hand holding. What does it mean? Is Angel starting to think of me as a girlfriend? Or am I just imagining it?' "Okay. Lead the way."

As they were walking down the hall, Melissa stepped out of her bedroom. She glared at them, but said nothing. Buffy took the initiative and spoke up. "Hi, Melissa."

"Buffy." Without another word, Melissa went back inside her bedroom.

Buffy frowned. "Your sister hates me," she said to Angel.

"No she doesn't. Missy just doesn't know you."

"Sorry, Angel, but she hates me. If looks could kill, I'd be dead right now."

"Then ignore her. It's her loss."

He knocked on the last door on the right. "Mom? Can I come in?"

"It's open."

The walked in Mrs. Riches' bedroom, where she sat on the bed reading a book. "This is Buffy Summers, Mom."

She grinned and held out her hand for Buffy to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My Angel's told me a lot about you."

"All good I hope," she replied, shaking her hand.

"Every last word. You're Hank and Joyce's little girl, aren't you?" Mrs. Riches asked.

Buffy nodded. "Yes. You know my parents?"

"I didn't know your mother personally, but she was a lovely woman from what I hear. But Hank and I go way back. We actually dated back in high school."

"You did?"

"For a few weeks before graduation; we went to the Prom together. But then he went into the army and I met Angel and Melissa's father," Mrs. Riches informed them.

"That is so cool. I can't imagine my father as a teenager."

Angel's mother smiled softly. "Hank was very handsome and very popular. I couldn't believe he was ever interested in plain old me."

"You're beautiful, Mom," Angel complimented. "Missy's really lucky she inherited her looks from you and not Dad."

Buffy couldn't help noticing the bitterness in Angel's voice when he mentioned his father. "What time is your appointment, Mrs. Riches?"

She looked over at her alarm clock. "In twenty minutes. We should get going."

***

"How long has your mother been sick?" Buffy asked in the waiting room of the doctor's office.

"She was diagnosed two years ago. It was a benign tumor in her breast and she had it removed, but the doctors are keeping an eye on her just in case it spread," he explained.

Buffy frowned. "It must have been hard on you guys."

"Mom…Mom handled it well; she's a real trouper. Missy went off and did her thing and ignored it for the most part. Sometimes I think she lives in the land of denial. But we've all pretty much dealt with it in our own way."

"Is that why you work all the time? To pay off all those medical bills?"

Angel nodded his head. "Yeah. The insurance didn't cover everything so I had to cover the rest. Along with our other monthly bills."

"That's horrible."

"I know. This month won't be so bad, though. Kelley's new boyfriend gave me back my limo money, so that'll cover this month's electricity bill. One less thing to worry about."

She cleared her throat. It was the perfect time to tell Angel the surprise since he had brought up the Prom. "Remember yesterday when I asked you to the Prom and you said no?"

"Buffy, I'd love to go with you, but I just can't."

"You can. I arranged it so you'd have that weekend off," she said.

Angel gaped at her. "You did what?"

"I went to the store yesterday and explained your situation to Jason McKenzie. After a bit of convincing, he agreed to give you the weekend off. Now there's nothing keeping you from going with me. My dad already agreed to pay for the limo and I can pay for your tux. And I thought we'd spend the weekend at my dad's beach house, and if you want, we can invite Melissa and her date to join us." Buffy was frightened when he didn't reply. "Oh god, you hate it. You're mad at me."

He blinked. "No, not at all. Just shocked, I guess. Nobody's ever done something like that for me. You really thought of everything, didn't you?"

"I want to go with you. Tell me you'll go." 'Please let him say yes,' she silently prayed to whomever was listening.

"How could I say no after you went to all that trouble?" Angel asked. He leaned over, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I'd love to go with you."

Buffy beamed. It was really happening; her life-long dreams were finally coming true. "People will talk. They'll want to know what's going on with us; why we decided to go together."

"We'll tell them the truth, then."

She looked at him with questions in her green eyes. "What is the truth? What are we? Frankly, I don't have the answers to those questions. We've kissed, Angel, and we've held hands and I still don't know what's going on between us."

"Neither do I. I have these feelings for you that I never had for any other girl. It's been weighing on my mind for days now. To the outside observer, I would look like we're a couple. Dating, boyfriend and girlfriend. Is that how you see it?" Angel asked her.

"That's how I want to see it. But I don't want people to look at us and say that you're with me because you're on the rebound from Kelley. I guess I should know the answer to that right off the bat. Am I the rebound girl?"

"I don't think of you as the rebound girl, I couldn't if I tried." He sighed. "I just don't know what to do about this."

"Neither do I. But I don't want people to see us and think that it's out of pity or just because you're trying to get over Kelley. Maybe it would be better if we didn't tell anyone. At least until Prom," Buffy said. "What do you think?"

He didn't need to think about it for very long. For close to a week, he'd been getting looks of pity from his classmates and he was sick of it. Angel could only imagine the looks he'd receive if it became public knowledge that he was dating Buffy less than a week after being dumped by Kelley. Not to mention the looks Buffy would get, and he didn't want that for her. "That works for me. We'll go public at the Prom. Until then, it's a secret."

They sealed their decision with a tender kiss.


	8. Chapter 8

8

The next day when Angel made his way through the cafeteria, he saw not only Xander and Melissa sitting at their usual table, but Willow Rosenberg and Anya Emerson as well. It struck him as weird because the two girls never sat with them. 'I wonder what's going on,' he thought.

He caught sight of Buffy sitting a few tables away from Xander and Melissa, flanked on either side by Harmony Kendall and Cordelia Chase. Their eyes met briefly and they exchanged smiles.

"Angel! Get over here!" Melissa called.

Angel glanced at her with suspicious eyes. His sister was definitely up to something. And he wouldn't have to wait long to find out what it was. "What?" he asked when he reached the table.

"You remember Anya and Willow, don't you?" she asked.

"Yeah…I have classes with them. Hi, Willow. Hi, Anya," he said to them.

Willow smiled while Anya giggled. "Ever since that bitch dumped you, I've made it my personal mission to find you the perfect Prom date," Melissa informed her brother. "And Willow and Anya here don't have dates, so…"

Xander grinned, patting Angel on the back. "Your sister brought you a bushel of babes to choose from. Do you realize how lucky you are? I'd kill for that kind of treatment."

"I'm sorry, guys. I already have a date," Angel told them.

"It's okay," Willow said. "Oz asked me to go this morning so I think I'll go with him. I hope you have a good time, Angel."

Anya pouted. "Now I'll never get a date. Thanks a lot, Missy. You promised me Angel would go with me."

Melissa shot daggers at her brother. "Sorry. My twin brother here hasn't been keeping me all that well-informed about his social life."

Both girls got up off their chairs and left the table. Angel took a bite out of his grilled cheese sandwich, Xander busied himself with copying Angel's English notes and Melissa glared at her brother. He looked up at her. "What's wrong with you?"

"I should be asking you the same question. I worked hard and went out of my way to find you a date for Prom and you say you already have one. How the hell could you do that, Angel?" she accused.

"I didn't realize it was a capital offense to find my own Prom date. Sorry to ruin your plans."

Melissa narrowed her eyes. "It's her, isn't it? You're going with the Ice Princess."

"Don't call Buffy that. And yes, I am going to the Prom with her. She asked me yesterday and I eventually said yes."

"I thought you decided to work that night," she pointed out.

"She arranged it so I'd be off that weekend. So we're going together, followed by a weekend at her father's beach cabin. Which reminds me, Buffy asked me invite the two of you to go with us. We'll be back early Monday afternoon."

Xander's jaw dropped. "That is so cool. A weekend away from any parental control or supervision."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Melissa said. "You can tell your precious little Buffy to forget it. There's no way on God's green earth that I will spend an entire weekend with her. No way, no how."

"Missy…"

"No. You're not going to change my mind. And if I'm not going, Xander's not going either."

His eyes widened. "Huh? Why can't I go?"

"Because I said so. Do you really want to partake in a weekend-long orgy at Buffy Summers' beach house?" Melissa wanted to know.

"Yes!" Xander replied.

"Then you can find yourself another Prom date."

Angel shook his head. "You're not even willing to give her a chance are you? One of these days, Melissa, you'll have to get over it. I don't know why you hate Buffy so much, but from now on, I suggest you keep it to yourself because I do not want to hear it anymore. I'm sick to death of it."

She shrugged. "Fine. Do what you want. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Don't come crying to me when she tramples all over your heart."

***

The next week and a half went by without incident. Buffy and Angel managed to keep their relationship a secret from everyone except Xander, Melissa and Cordelia. To everyone else, the two of them were only spending time together because of their English project. And until Prom, that's how they wanted to keep it.

The closing credits rolled on the movie Buffy had borrowed from Cordelia. She and Angel lay on their stomachs across her bed in silence, letting the movie's events settle in their minds.

Angel broke the silence. "That was…well, interesting doesn't quite seem to fit," he commented.

"Was it supposed to be scary?" Buffy asked. "I think I laughed more than I was frightened."

"Sure. I saw you jump when the killer impaled that woman on the shower glass. Not to mention the iron scene."

"I didn't say it wasn't gory."

"Oh, it was definitely gory. But it was so predictable. I knew from the second that Adam guy stepped onscreen that he was the killer."

Buffy laughed. "Yeah, but he was pretty to look at. The movie had a moral, though. Don't make fun of the geek, because he'll end up being a total hottie and come back and kill you for rejecting him."

"God, didn't those people learn anything from SCREAM? You don't run up the stairs when you're alone in a house with the killer. You run out the door," Angel stated. "And what was with Denise Richards' character? The killer trapped her in the hot tub. When he took out the power drill and started drilling holes into the plastic cover, she should have known that he wasn't trying to create air pockets for her."

"It wasn't all that bad, Angel. Granted, it had some plot holes –"

"*Some* plot holes? You could drive a truck through the plot holes in that movie. Half of the stuff the killer did made no sense to me whatsoever. What was the point of killing that guy…Campbell? And the maid? And the rich lady? I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. They had nothing to do with the killer or the main plot of the story."

"You overanalyze things. It's a movie; it was meant to be entertaining. I don't know, I thought it was kind of sweet. I mean, he killed all those girls so he could be with the woman he had been in love with for thirteen years. It's kind of romantic."

"It's kind of sick," he disagreed.

"Where's your sense of romance?" Buffy asked.

Angel shook his head. "No way. That movie wasn't romantic, it was stupid."

"Well, I liked it and I thought it was sorta romantic."

She moved a few inches to the right and placed her hands on the back of Angel's neck, pushing his lips to hers. As it grew in intensity, Buffy's elbow slipped out from under her, causing her to lose her balance, falling onto her back. Angel fell with her, pinning her body to the bed under his. She took the opportunity to wrap her arms around him, holding him in place. It was right where she wanted him to be.

He reluctantly broke their embrace several minutes later. "Well," he said.

"I certainly hope you can say that it was more than interesting, Mr. Critical," Buffy remarked with a soft laugh.

"I would give it three out of four stars."

"Glad you approve." Buffy and Angel sat up and she fixed her mussed blonde hair. "I forgot to tell you earlier. I picked up my Prom dress yesterday afternoon."

"Are you going to tell me what it looks like or do I have to wait another week?" Angel wanted to know.

Buffy pretended to think it over. "You'll have to wait. This dress is preferential to the element of surprise."

"You're a tease."

"And you love it. Any luck with Melissa? She still won't come to the beach house with us?" she inquired.

Angel shook his head. "Nope. She absolutely refuses. Getting her to share a limo with us was hard enough."

"Maybe she'll change her mind," she said, hope resonating through her voice.

"Doubtful. Missy can be as stubborn as a mule. Looks like it's just going to be you and me next weekend."

"That's really going to suck. You and I alone all by ourselves for an entire weekend. Whatever will we do to pass the time?"

He smiled. "I'm sure we'll think of something."

"There's hiking," she suggested.

"Swimming."

"And then there's always this." Buffy leaned over again to kiss him.

***

The night before Prom, Buffy came home from Cordelia's house to find her father packing his suitcase in his bedroom. She narrowed her eyes in wonder.

"Dad?" she began when she stepped into the bedroom.

"Oh, Buffy honey, I didn't see you standing there, I'm sorry. How was your day? Anything exciting happen at school today?" Hank Summers asked his daughter while folding a pair of trousers and then placing them in his suitcase.

"It was fine, nothing overly exciting. What are you doing? Why are you packing?"

He reached into his closet and pulled out several shirts. "There's an emergency stockholders meeting in Seattle this weekend. A big takeover fell through and now all hell is breaking loose. I have to be there by noon tomorrow," Mr. Summers explained.

"But tomorrow's my Senior Prom," she reminded him. "You're supposed to be here and meet my boyfriend."

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. I have to go to this meeting."

Buffy sighed. "You know how important this is to me. I've been looking forward to going to my Prom for years and now my own father isn't even going to be here to see me in my dress or meet my date."

"I can't get out of it. If I could, I would."

"Fine, do what you have to do," she said, dejected.

Mr. Summers sat down on the bed next to his suitcase and motioned for Buffy to do the same. "It's disappointing, I know. If I could be here to see you off, I would be. But I just can't. I *have* to be in Seattle."

She lowered her green eyes. "Mom wouldn't have missed it."

He smiled. "You're right, honey, she wouldn't have missed it for the world. Hell, Joyce probably would have made your dress herself. I really wish she were still alive, she'd be very proud of the beautiful young woman you've become."

"You really think so? She'd be proud of me?"

"I know so. But I also think she'd understand that I have to take care of this problem. It doesn't mean that I don't love you, I just have no choice in the matter. I hope you understand."

"Okay, yeah I do. I should probably get to bed. Big day tomorrow and all that," Buffy said.

Mr. Summers gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek. "Take lots of pictures for your old man."

"I will."

"And be careful this weekend. I don't want you or your girlfriends to get hurt at the beach house. It's isolated, remember?"

"I remember. And yes, Dad, we'll be careful." She'd never told her father that she and Angel were going there by themselves. Mr. Summers would never have allowed it; so she said it would be herself and a few friends from school staying at the beach house all weekend.

"I called John yesterday and had the refrigerator stocked with the list of stuff you left me. Eggs, milk, soda, chips, etc.," he told her.

"Thanks." 'At least he made an effort,' she thought.

"Have a good time."

"I'll try. And you have a safe trip. 'Night, Dad."

Buffy left her father's bedroom, heading for her own. It was almost eleven-thirty and she needed to get some sleep. She stripped out of the jeans and sweatshirt she'd been wearing and changed into a white tank top and a pair of flannel shorts. As she brushed out her shoulder-length blonde hair, her eyes fell upon a framed picture of her mother taken only three weeks before her death. Buffy put the brush down, picked up the picture and sat down on her bed. Tears filled her eyes at the memory of some of the conversations they'd shared over the years. She and her mother had always been close; she was the only person Buffy ever told about her crush on Angel.

_//Buffy and her mother sat on Mrs. Summers' bed, flipping through the Sunnydale Middle School yearbook that Buffy had received that day. _

_"I can't believe how old you guys are getting," Mrs. Summers commented. "I can remember when most of these kids were just in diapers. Now you'll be starting high school in a year." _

_"Yep. I can't wait to start high school. Dating, driving and all kinds of fun stuff." _

_Mrs. Summers turned the page, glancing over the R's. "What's this?" she asked, pointing to what her daughter had written under a boy's picture. _

_Buffy quickly grabbed the book from her mother. "Nothing. It's nothing." _

_"If it's nothing, then why won't you let me see?" _

_"Because." _

_"All right then. I guess someone doesn't want any brownies for dessert after dinner tonight," Mrs. Summers threatened. _

_"Mom…" Buffy whined. _

_Mrs. Summers lifted her eyebrows. "Buffy…" _

_Frowning, she handed the book back to her mother. "Don't laugh at me." _

_"I'd never laugh at you, pumpkin." She read what Buffy had written. "'I love him.' That's so sweet." _

_"His name is Angel. He's really smart and funny and cute. And he's always nice to me. He smiles at me when everyone else is making fun of me or being mean to me. I love him." _

_"I'm sure you do. He sounds like a very nice boy." _

_"And I'm gonna marry him someday. We're going to get married and have lots of kids," said Buffy in a strong voice. _

_"Does he know you like him?" her mother wanted to know. _

_She vigorously shook her head. "No way!" _

_"You should ask him to the movies." _

_"He'll say no." _

_"You'll never know until you try. I bet if you do, he will say yes." \\_

A tear fell out of Buffy's eye, landing on the glass covering her mother's picture. "He did say yes, Mom. Just like you said he would. And it only took me five years to ask."

She laid down on the bed, holding the picture to her breast. "I miss you, Mom. I miss you every day. You wouldn't miss my Prom like Dad is going to. You'd be here, all excited about meeting Angel. But you're not here. Why did you have to go away?" she asked. After what seemed like an eternity of crying, she fell asleep.

***


	9. Chapter 9

9

"This is the last day we have to hide from everyone," Angel commented the following morning. He and Buffy had met in the utility closet for an early morning rendezvous before the Senior Class Assembly.

"We go public in a few hours. No more making out in the janitor's closet for us," she replied. Reaching her arms around his neck, she pulled Angel down for another kiss.

They broke their embrace when the five minute warning bell rang. "I guess that's our cue," Buffy said, disappointed at the prospect of leaving their secret hiding spot.

Angel nodded. "Sounds like it." He reached into his jeans pocket. "I almost forgot to give this to you."

She knit her eyebrows together. "What is it?"

"Money for the limo and the tux. It's all I can afford to give you right now, but when I get paid on Wednesday –"

"I don't want your money, Angel. I thought I told you, everything's paid for. Don't worry about it."

"I do worry about it. I don't want you to have to pay for me to go to the Prom. I work, I should pay for myself." Angel handed her the money.

She simply looked at it. "I won't accept it."

He sighed angrily. "Why not?"

"Because you told me yourself that you need that money to pay your bills. Prom is paid for; use the money to pay off your mom's hospital bills or the utilities or something like that."

"Dammit, Buffy, I don't want your charity. Or your pity, for that matter. Just take the money," he ordered.

"No," she said defiantly. "Look, I'm sorry if me paying for everything is bruising your ego, but get over it. And it isn't charity or pity either. Let me pay."

Angel shook his head. "I believe that the guy should pay. Call me old-fashioned, but if the guy asks the girl, he should pay or at least be willing to."

"You seem to be forgetting something very important here, Angel. I asked you. So I guess that makes me the guy in this case."

"I can't–"

"Too bad. I'm paying, end of discussion. But if you feel that strongly about the issue, I'm sure you can find a way to make it up to me this weekend. Now get going before we're late for the assembly."

***

"Well, how do I look?" Melissa requested of her mother and brother when she entered the living room at five o'clock.

Angel and his mother grinned. Melissa looked beautiful. Her long brown hair was styled in a french twist with tendrils framing her pretty face. She'd chosen a simple black dress with a high neck and a hem that reached the floor.

"You look lovely, Melissa," Mrs. Riches complimented. "Just like I imagined you would."

Her brother nodded. "Like a million bucks. Xander'll go out of his mind when he sees you."

"That's the whole point. I spent six months saving my babysitting money to buy this dress. You don't think it's too much, do you?"

Angel shook his head. "Not at all. It's very sophisticated. Worth every penny, I assure you."

"What time is the limo coming to pick you up?" their mother wanted to know.

"Any minute now," Melissa told her. "It's picking up Xander and then Angel's date."

He groaned. "Her name is Buffy and I'd appreciate it if you called her by it."

"God, you are so sensitive when it comes to her. Geez."

"Missy, please, just be nice to her. She arranged for the limo and I think it would be nice if you were at least a little bit appreciative. Be civil, that's all I'm asking." Angel had mental images of his sister and Buffy engaged in a catfight on the way to the Prom.

"All right," she relented. "Only for you and *only* for tonight."

He rolled his eyes. "That's all I'm asking of you."

"Are you stopping at Buffy's house for pictures?" Mrs. Riches asked her son.

"No. Her dad was called away for an emergency meeting in Seattle. He left this morning," he informed her.

"That poor girl. Nobody there to see her off to her own Prom."

Melissa grimaced. "I'm sure the maid and butler and cook were there, though."

"Melissa…" Angel warned in a low voice.

"It was a joke. Calm down."

The doorbell rang three minutes later while Melissa and Angel were doing last minute hair checks. Mrs. Riches answered the door, eager to see her children's dates. "Xander Harris, is that you?"

"Hey, Mrs. R. I clean up good, huh?" he asked with a laugh.

"You certainly do." She couldn't help but smile. "Just don't let Angel hear you talk like that. He'll have a heart attack at your grammar. You know how he is."

"I think he's used to the way I talk by now. Is Melissa ready?"

"She definitely is. Isn't Buffy with you?"

Xander pointed to the limo. "She told me to go on ahead without her. I think she'll be inside in a couple minutes. Probably checking her makeup or something like that."

"Hey, Xander," Melissa greeted, re-entering the living room.

He had a hard time finding his voice when he laid eyes upon his best friend's sister. "I…you…wow," Xander stammered.

She giggled. "I'll take that as a compliment. You look pretty good yourself. Ready to boogie down, you crazy party animal?" she asked.

"Uh-huh."

Angel entered the living room and looked for his date. He'd heard Xander's voice and assumed Buffy had arrived with him. It both disappointed and scared him when she wasn't there. "Buffy's not here?" He was afraid that he'd been stood up. "Why isn't she here?"

"Relax, man. She's still in the limo."

"Nope, I'm right here," she announced, stepping into view.

Words escaped Angel when he saw her. She was utterly breathtaking; he'd never seen anything more beautiful in his life. Her Prom dress was antique white, accentuating her golden tan. It was off the shoulder, filling out slightly at the waist and flowing to the ground. She had brushed her hair straight, curling it only a little bit at the ends and a simple strand of pearls adorned her neck.

"Buffy," he managed to say. "You look incredible. Like a princess."

She blushed. "Thank you. You look great in that tux."

He reached over, picking up her corsage which he'd rested on the end table. "I hope you like carnations."

"I love them." 'A red carnation corsage. White is for friendship, pink is for like and red is for love. Does he love me? Oh forget it, Buffy.' "I have your boutonniere in my purse."

While Buffy and Angel were doing that, and Mrs. Riches was taking their picture, Melissa whispered in Xander's ear, "Does she look better than me?"

"Not a chance, Missy." Truth was, his eyes nearly fell out of his head when he first saw Buffy in her dress.

"Look at that dress. Could she have shown more cleavage? It's a disgusting sight."

Xander shook his head. "You can hardly see anything. It leaves a hell of a lot to the imagination."

"Spoken like a typical man," she scoffed.

Twenty minutes later, they were on their way out the door. Angel carried his overnight bag to the limo; he and Buffy were leaving for the beach house right after Prom ended.

"You have Buffy's cell phone number, I left it on the table. Call me if you need me or if anything happens," Angel told his mother. "I'll be home in less than an hour if you call."

"Nothing's going to happen. Have a good time this weekend, you two."

"We will."

***

Buffy gripped Angel's hand as they walked through the doors of the country club where the Prom was being held. 'This is it,' she thought. 'Now everyone's going to know about us.'

"Penny for your thoughts," Angel said.

"Save your penny," she returned. "It's not that important."

Xander and Melissa were already at the ballot table for Prom King and Queen. "Hey, Buffy, did you know you are nominated for Prom Queen?" Xander asked.

"I was? I mean, I am? Why?"

'I'm not voting for her,' Melissa said to herself. 'I'd rather see Harmony or Cordelia or even Kelley win.'

Angel picked up a ballot. "You're a shoo-in, Buffy. Hardly any competition whatsoever."

She looked over the ballot sheet. "Yeah, right. Let's see, head cheerleader, the most popular girl in school, me, the lead in the school play and your ex-girlfriend. I don't have a prayer."

"Well, you've got my vote," Angel promised.

"Mine, too," added Xander. "I'm putting a big fat NO WAY next to Kelley's name."

Buffy laughed. "You're too funny, Xander."

Angel put his arm around her waist. "Can I have the first dance?"

"You can have the first, the last and all the ones in between."

_//Don't stray, don't ever go away  
I should be much too smart for this  
You know it gets the better of me  
Sometimes, when you and I collide  
I fall into an ocean of you  
Pull me out in time don't let me drown  
Let me down, I say it's all because of you\\_

The couple found an empty space on the dance floor, ignoring the curious gazes cast their way. Buffy fell into his arms, cherishing the feeling of security she felt. Never in her life did she think she'd be there with Angel; in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, his hands around her waist. It was beyond heaven.

"I should probably warn you that I can't dance very well," Angel said. "I have two left feet."

"You're doing great so far."

_//And here I go, losing my control  
I'm practicing your name  
So I can say it to your face, it doesn't seem right  
To look you in the eye, let all the things you mean to me  
Come tumbling out of my mouth and beat its time  
Tell you why, you say it's infinitely true  
Say you'll stay  
Don't come and go like you do  
Sway my way  
Yeah, I need to know all about you \\_

"Just as I suspected," Buffy stated.

Angel cast his eyes down at her curiously. "What?"

"Everyone's looking at us. I knew this would happen."

"They're just jealous because I'm dancing with the most beautiful girl in the building."

She wasn't convinced. "I can practically hear their thoughts, Angel. And they're all thinking the same thing: rebound. They all think I'm your rebound girl."

He held her tighter. "Who cares what they think? I certainly don't. Let everyone think you're the rebound girl. You and I know the truth." 'Truth,' he thought. 'I haven't even told Buffy the truth yet. How is she going to react when she finds out that I think I love her?'

***

"And this year's Prom King is," Sara DeMarco, head of the Prom Committee, announced, "Jeremy Masterson!"

The boy ran up to the make-shift stage to accept his crown. Winning hadn't come as a shock to the quarterback, he fully expected to win.

"And the Prom Queen is…Buffy Summers!"

She looked at Angel with shock written all over her face. "I can't believe it. I won. I really won."

He planted a kiss on her cheek. "Congratulations. I knew you'd win. Go get your crown, Miss Prom Queen."

Buffy walked to where Sara and Jeremy were standing, waiting for her. When she reached his side, Jeremy put the crown her head, grinning like an idiot the whole time.

"And now, your Prom King and Queen will share the spotlight dance."

Jeremy tried to take Buffy's hand, but she casually moved it from his reach. He took her in his arms as the words began.

_/How do I get through a night without you?  
If I had to live without you, what kind of life would that be?  
Oh I, I need you in my arms, need you to hold  
You're my world, my heart, my soul  
If you ever leave  
Well, baby, you would take away everything  
Good in my life  
And tell me now _

_How do I live without you?  
I want to know  
How do I breathe without you?  
If you ever go  
How do I ever, ever survive?  
How do I, how do I, oh how do I live without you? \\_

"You know, there was never a doubt in my mind who'd win tonight," Jeremy said to Buffy. "It had to be us."

"I never thought I'd win," Buffy admitted. "I never even expected to be nominated. This is like a dream or something."

"No, Buffy, it's very real. I knew you would win, that's why I asked you to be my date. Then this whole night would have been perfect," he lamented. "But instead, you turned me down."

She sighed. "Sorry, Jeremy, I didn't want to go with you."

"You said no to me, but yes to Angel Riches? Now see, that's what I don't understand."

"He's different from the other guys here."

"He's a loser. I expected better from you, Buffy. I always thought you had good taste, but I guess I was wrong."

"I didn't ask for your opinion, Jeremy. And I don't need your approval to go out with someone. Angel's twice the man you'll ever hope to be," Buffy retorted.

He laughed. "You don't have to get defensive. I just find it funny that going after the rich and pretty guys in Sunnydale isn't cutting it for you anymore, so now you've moved on to seducing the poorest of the poor. I hope he knows what he's getting himself into."

Rage built up inside of her until Buffy could no longer take it. "Fuck you," she hissed. "You don't know me or Angel, so just shut the hell up."

"You know, Buffy, I think it's my place to warn you. You're not going to get any from him. Rumor has it that's why his ex dumped him. Three years together and he wouldn't screw her…no wonder they broke up."

That did it. "Get your hands off of me," she ordered.

"Hey, I'm only telling you."

Buffy pushed him away from her. "Get away from me."

_//There'd be no sun in my sky  
There would be no love in my life  
There'd be no world left for me  
And I, well, baby, I don't know what I would do  
I'd be lost if I lost you  
If you ever leave  
Well, baby, you would take away everything  
Real in my life  
And tell me now _

_How do I live without you?  
I want to know  
How do I breathe without you?  
If you ever go  
How do I ever, ever survive?  
How do I, how do I, how do I live?\\_

Buffy found Angel standing in the same spot he left him. Confusion was written all over his handsome face. "Buffy, what's wrong?"

"Dance with me," she requested. "Just put your arms around me and make me forget I ever had to dance with Jeremy."

He scooped her into his embrace just as she had asked, holding her as tight has he could. She was obviously upset; something had happened with Jeremy during their brief dance. "Tell me what happened."

Her lower lip quivered. "Nothing. I-I couldn't stand his hands being on me anymore. It felt wrong. Being here with you…this feels right. Hold me. Hold me and don't let go."

"I won't."

"I mean it, don't let go. I love you, Angel."

***


	10. Chapter 10

10

He continued to hold her, even after hearing what she'd said. Any other man might have let go, but not Angel. All he wanted to do at that moment was hold her. Her words had meant the world to him.

"Buffy," he started.

She shook her head. "No, don't. You don't have to say anything, not if you can't say it back. Just dance."

Though he wanted to say it back, Angel couldn't find the right words to say it. Instead, he placed two fingers under her chin and raised it off his shoulder. Looking her dead in the eye, he lowered his lips to hers. 'I hope you understand what this kiss means, Buffy,' he thought as it grew in intensity. 'I can't say it now, though.'

Buffy felt like she was floating on air. Angel hadn't pushed her away; he'd kissed her instead. It was a good sign. 'At least I know I didn't scare him away. But what about him? What does he feel?'

_//Please tell me, baby  
How do I go on  
If you ever leave?  
Well, baby, you would take away everything  
Need you with me  
Baby, don't you know that you're everything  
Good in my life?  
And tell me now _

_How do I live without you?  
I want to know  
How do I breathe without you?  
If you ever go  
How do I ever, ever survive?  
How do I, how do I, oh how do I live?\\_

***

"Congratulations, Buffy," Cordelia said with a small smile an hour later. "If I couldn't win, I'm glad it was you instead."

"Thanks. It should have been you, though."

She laughed. "Can't argue with you there. But you're being way too modest. What has that boy done to you?"

"I don't know. But I definitely like it."

Cordelia caught sight of Angel talking to Xander. "Did your dad go completely postal when you told him you're going to the beach house with Angel this weekend? Alone, might I add?"

"I didn't exactly tell him. Dad sort of thinks it's a girl's weekend," Buffy divulged. "If I told him it was going to be me and my boyfriend, he'd never let me go. So I had to lie."

"I never knew you were so conniving. All these years you've been holding out on me!" she exclaimed. "So tell me, what are you two planning on doing this weekend?" Her eyebrows raised at her question.

"Swimming, hiking and talking."

Cordelia grunted. "Yeah, sure. Alone at a secluded beach house for an entire weekend with your smart, good-looking boyfriend and all you two are going to do is talk? Why do I think you're holding something back? Spill!"

Buffy shook her head. "There's nothing to spill, Cordy."

"Whatever. But I bet you a new Prada purse that something happens between you two."

"Fine. You're on."

***

"What was all that about back there?" Xander wanted to know after Buffy left Angel's side to talk to Cordelia.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's see, your date won Prom Queen, danced with Jeremy for two minutes before running back into your arms. One can only assume that something happened out there with him."

Angel shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what went on with Jeremy, Buffy wouldn't say. She just asked me to dance with her and I did."

"And you made out with her in the middle of the dance floor in front of the entire senior class," his best friend added. "Made quite a spectacle."

"I…" Angel stammered. "There's a reason behind that."

Xander waved his hand for Angel to continue. "And that would be…?"

"Buffy…she…she told me she loves me," he admitted. "I kissed her. I had to."

"What did you say to her?"

He looked down. "Nothing. Like I said, I kissed her."

"The girl tells you she loves you and you don't say anything to her?" Xander punched Angel in the arm. "Are you an idiot or something?"

"Take it easy."

"Well, you don't do that! You have to say something to the poor girl. Are you going to say it back? You do feel the same way about her, don't you?"

He nodded. "I do, I really do. God, I love her, but I couldn't say it, not here. Not in front of everyone here. This weekend, when she and I are alone. I'll tell her then."

"If I ask you a question, do you promise to answer it honestly and not bite my head off?" Xander asked.

"That all depends on the question."

He wore a look of seriousness on his face. "Are you going to let anything happen with her this weekend?"

"It's not on my agenda, if that's what you're asking. But I love her and she loves me and if something happens…well, if it feels right for both of us, then I won't fight it. I'm not going away with her this weekend in hopes of a romantic getaway filled with sex. I care too much about her to do that."

"It would be pretty funny if you two did go all the way. Think about it. Three years with Kelley and it never happened, but three weeks with Buffy and it does."

"It never felt right with Kelley."

Xander widened his eyes. "Speak of the devil herself."

Kelley sauntered over, wearing a pleasant smile on her face. "Hi, Angel. Hi, Xander."

"Kelley," Xander greeted coolly.

"I just wanted to come over and say hi so you don't think I've been purposely avoiding you all night long," she said.

He gave her a half-smile. "I never thought that for a minute. Where's Parker?"

Kelley pointed to the far wall of the country club. "He's talking to his friends."

"Oh. By the way, congratulations on being nominated for Prom Queen."

"Thank you. But your date won. Good for her."

"I'll tell her you said so."

She bit her lip. "It's been bugging me all night, so I have to ask. Just how did you and Buffy hook up? You two are so different."

"We were assigned to work on an English project together and things progressed from there."

She nodded in understanding. "Are you and Buffy dating now?"

"Yes, we are."

"Good for you, then. It happened sort of quickly, didn't it?"

"I guess from an outsider's perspective it could seem that way. For the first time I feel comfortable enough to be myself with a girl. Buffy has accepted me for me and I've done the same with her."

His words hurt her. 'Angel never felt comfortable around me? Why not? We were together for three years.' "Oh. I…um…good luck with her. For your sake, I mean. I hope it works out with Buffy. You know, given her reputation and all. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Angel glared at her. "Don't worry, Kelley, you did that already. One broken heart a year is my limit. And as for Buffy's 'reputation,' it's bull. She's a great person. People like you can't see beyond her nice clothes and big house. I used to think that, too. I believed all that stuff about her reputation until I got to know her. And I liked what I saw underneath that rich girl exterior. Believe it or not, I've had more fun with her these past few weeks than I ever had with you."

He walked away, leaving Kelley speechless. It felt like a two ton weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His heart was finally free of Kelley's hold and ready to be given to someone else.

Xander ran after him. "I can't believe you just said that to her."

"It needed to be said. It was a long time coming."

"I think it really hurt her."

"Xander, I don't particularly care about her feelings. Did she care about mine when she dumped me for Parker? No. I'm putting Kelley Page behind me for good. She's of the past. Buffy's my future," Angel stated.

***

"Well, this is it," Buffy announced at midnight when she and Angel arrived at the beach house.

He took it all in. The house was at least twice as big as his own, if not bigger. "Wow. It's…well, it's big."

She grimaced. "Yeah, I know. It seems bigger than the last time I was here. God, it has been so long. Five years."

"Really? It's been that long?" Angel asked.

Buffy nodded. "Uh-huh. I-It's hard for me to come here. My dad still comes for a weekend every now and then, but I just don't. Brings back all the memories."

He looked at her, noticing that her eyes were filling with tears. "Why don't you sit down," he suggested. "Then you can tell me about it if you want."

Buffy shook her head and wiped the tears away. "I don't need to sit, I'll be fine. The three of us were coming here for Fourth of July weekend the summer before I started high school. Mom, Dad and I were just going to relax and lay on the beach and get some sun. But then Dad ended up having to stay at home an extra day because of work, so Mom went up instead. You know, get the house clean, go shopping, that kind of thing. I-I was supposed to come with her, but she thought I'd be bored here with just her, so I stayed home with Dad that day."

She sniffled. "A couple hours later, Dad called for me at Cordelia's house. You know Cordelia Chase, right?" Angel nodded. "Anyway, he called up and told me to come home right away. When I got there, he said…he -- Mom had been in a car accident on the way here. She died."

He really didn't know what to say. Everything just seemed wrong or inappropriate. "I'm sorry. I wish I knew what to say. I never realized it happened here."

She nodded. "It's okay, you don't have to say anything. My dad and I don't talk about it much. But it's always in the back of my mind that I could have been in that car with her. I could have died in that accident, too."

"But you didn't; you're here now. How did it happen?" Angel asked. "I mean, if you want to tell me, that is."

"A bunch of teenagers were drag racing down the road my mom was driving on. She was coming around the bend and they never even saw her. Head-on collision and she died almost instantly." Buffy took a deep breath. "It has been too hard for me to come back here. Mom decorated this place; everything reminds me of her."

He smiled. "She did a wonderful job on the decorating. It looks great. Very feminine touch. Homey."

"She had a real artist's eye. God, I miss her so much. Especially being here."

"If the memories are too much for you, we don't have to stay."

Buffy shook her head. "No, I want to stay. I've been putting off coming here for such a long time. I need to make happy memories of this place."

Given what Angel had to tell her that night, he hoped it would make her wish of good memories come true. "You will. This weekend will be filled with those happy memories you want. You have my word on it."

"Thank you." She picked up her bag. "I guess I should show you to your room."

Angel followed her down the hall past the kitchen toward the bedrooms. For some reason, he felt at home there, much more so than he had in Buffy's home. The beach house had more of a familial air to it.

"What the hell is this?" Buffy muttered, ripping off a piece of paper taped to one of the doors. She read it over. "Oh you've got to be kidding me!"

"What's wrong?" he wanted to know.

She sighed unhappily. "My dad has a couple take care of the house when we're not here. John and Carrie – that's their names – keep this place clean, make sure that it looks nice, etc. Well, it looks like they picked this week to begin remodeling the two other bedrooms. That means there's only one bedroom for the two of us," Buffy explained. "They have the worst sense of timing; they knew I was spending the weekend up here."

"Oh," he said. "So, what do you want to do then?"

"What do *you* want to do?"

He shrugged. "Well, the way I figure it, there's two options here. We either share the bedroom or one of us sleeps on the couch." Angel paused for a moment. "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable in your own home. So I volunteer to sleep on the couch."

"You don't have to do that. I invited you here, I can't force you to sleep on a lumpy old couch. You deserve a bed," she argued.

"Believe me, I've had worse. Besides, that couch out there looks more comfortable than my own bed."

She looked at him. "Are you sure?"

Angel nodded. "Yep. You take the bed."

"Okay. Um…I'm gonna go take a shower and wipe this gunk off my face. I'll be out in a few minutes."

He went back into the living room and sat himself down on his makeshift bed. 'When Buffy comes back out here, I'm telling her. Nothing is going to keep me from telling her how I really feel.'


	11. Chapter 11

11

Twenty minutes later, Buffy walked to the living room, finding Angel sitting on the couch wearing a pair of black boxer shorts and a white t-shirt.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," she said.

Angel looked up from the book he was reading. "No. Just getting ahead on our English assignment."

She laughed at him. "Always the overachiever. And you look so darn cute in those glasses. I forgot that you wear them. It's been so long."

He blushed. "I took out my contacts while you were in the shower. I must look like some kind of circus freak."

"Not at all. It's a very…scholastic look for you. I like it."

His eyes surveyed what she was wearing. A pair of flannel pajamas with elephants on them. "Interesting choice of bedtime apparel you've got there. Definitely not what I expected."

"And what did you expect?" she questioned, taking a seat next to him.

"I don't know. Something light and silky."

"Like something out of the Victoria's Secret catalog?" she joked.

"Yeah. But you never cease to shock me."

Buffy took her time before saying what she wanted to say next. "Look, about what I said earlier at the dance -"

"Buffy…"

She put her hand up to silence him. "Please let me get this out before I lose my nerve. Angel, I meant every word I said to you there. I love you. I just couldn't hold it in any longer. It's been going on since I was five years old, ever since that day in the playground when Melissa accused me of cheating and you believed me over her. I fell in love with you that day.

"And for thirteen years, I have kept my true feelings a secret, nobody else knew except my mother. In seventh grade, everyone made fun of me because I looked different; I had bad skin and bad teeth, I was a physical mess. People called me names, but you never did. You were always nice to me. Back then, I never had the courage to ask you out.

"Then we got into high school. I thought, 'This is my chance to make him love me.' But I never got the chance because you started going out with Kelley halfway through freshman year. I kept wondering what you saw in her that you didn't see in me, what it was she had that I didn't. For years I wondered that. Every time you walked into the room, I would smile to myself, just because you were near me.

"When you and Kelley broke up, I couldn't believe it. On one hand, I thought, 'Why is she breaking up with him? He's everything I've dreamed of for years and she doesn't even realize how lucky she is.' And then on the other, I wondered if you'd even look at me. Cordy came up to me and told me that she was planning to ask you out. It cut me right to the bone and I told her all this stuff to keep her away from you. I told her that you weren't good enough and too poor for her; I said things to her about you that I never meant because I was afraid of losing my only chance at winning your heart. I thought I'd lose you to my best friend.

"Tonight at the Prom, Jeremy made some comments about both of us. Dancing with him, listening to him say all that stuff made me see that I needed to tell you how I feel. I never meant to blurt it out the way I did. If you don't feel the same, I understand completely. I just had to say it, though."

"Buffy, I do feel the same," Angel admitted.

It took several moments for his words to register in her mind. "You do?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do, but I couldn't say what I have to say in front of the entire senior class. I dated Kelley for three years and I thought I loved her. But what I feel for you is stronger than anything I ever felt for Kelley. It scares me, but in a good way. Maybe I haven't loved you for as long as you've loved me, but I feel it just as strongly. Buffy, I love you."

She felt like she was going to cry. "This is so unreal. It's the best day of my life. You feel the same way I feel about you."

Angel leaned over, cupping her chin in his hand, slowly bringing his lips closer to hers until they finally touched. Her right hand wrapped around the back of his neck, moving upward into his hair. Buffy's lips parted slightly, leaving enough room for his tongue to enter.

Their kiss was growing more passionate with every passing moment, the intensity growing to proportions neither had ever experienced. Buffy took the opportunity to straddle his legs with her knees, sitting on his lap, facing him. When their embrace broke, he looked her in the eyes. "I love you so much."

"I know. Me, too."

He brought his hand to move her wet hair over her left shoulder. "I don't think I've ever told you just how beautiful you are."

"I think you said it earlier, when I got to your house."

"Without the five pounds of makeup on. You don't need to wear any, Buffy. You're a natural beauty."

He kissed her again, only this time his hands found the buttons on her pajama top, loosening the top two buttons. Still locked in their embrace, he pushed it over her shoulder, leaving the skin exposed. His lips parted from hers, moving along the left side of her face, trailing a line of kisses down her neck. Angel left open-mouth kisses along her collarbone to her shoulder.

"You smell so good," he commented between kisses. "Like a field of raspberries."

Buffy had nearly lost herself in a sea of lust. "I used raspberry body wash in the shower."

Angel couldn't seem to get enough of her. He kissed a trail back up to her lips, greedy for another taste of her. Their lips met in another searing kiss, Buffy pressing her body against him. While her hands held him about the waist, his moved to her back, lifting the hem of her top and slipping them inside.

He caressed the bare flesh of her back, his fingers trembling. He and Kelley had not even gone that far and he was nervous and afraid. Angel worried that Buffy would push him away for touching her like that, but she loved it. She knew she had his love, and as long as she had it, everything she was belonged to him.

As if his hands had a mind of their own, they caressed over her back, along her sides until they reached the front of her body. His thumbs brushed the undersides of her breasts, and before Angel knew what was happening, he was cupping them in his hands. Immediately, he broke off their embrace, removing his hands from her body.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Buffy asked. She had loved the feel of his hands on her, touching and caressing her.

"I-I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For touching you."

She smiled shyly. "You don't have to be sorry. I know you wouldn't take advantage of me. Angel, you're a gentleman."

"A gentleman," he scoffed. "That's why Kelley dumped me. I was too much of a gentleman, too noble for her liking."

"I like that you're a gentleman. And she's an idiot for breaking up with you over something like that. That girl doesn't know a good thing when she sees it."

He glanced at his watch. It was almost one in the morning. "I think maybe we'd better get some sleep. It's been a long, eventful day."

Buffy agreed. "Alright. I guess I'll see you in the morning."

She walked back to her room, missing him already. Taking one look at the oversized bed she was to sleep in, she knew it was all wrong. Grabbing a couple pillows and a blanket, she went back to the living room.

"I'm back," she announced.

"Did you forget something?" Angel asked.

"Nope. I'm sleeping out here with you. I feel guilty for sleeping in a bed when you're stuck on the couch. So I will be sleeping on the floor tonight."

He laughed. "You're a nut, Buffy."

She set the pillows on the ground, laid down and covered herself up. "Angel?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you snore?"

Angel paused. "I don't know. Nobody's ever been in a position to let me know."

In the dark, Buffy grinned. She'd gotten the answer she wanted. "Night."

"Night."

***


	12. Chapter 12

12

The first rays of sunlight burst into the living room at six-thirty the following morning, waking Angel from a peaceful slumber. Sitting up and stretching his tired muscles, he looked around the room, seeing Buffy still asleep on the floor twenty feet away. He smiled at the sight; her hair in a state of disarray, her pajamas wrinkled and her blanket bunched around her knees.

He slowly stood up, careful not to wake the sleeping girl on the floor. Bending down next to her, Angel pushed the blanket so that it covered her shoulders. 'She looks so cute when she's sleeping.'

"I'll be back in a little bit," he whispered, knowing that she couldn't hear him.

With it being such a beautiful morning, Angel didn't want to waste it by sleeping through the early morning solitude. As he did almost every single morning, he decided to go for a run. Only instead of doing so along the streets of Sunnydale, he'd be running on a secluded beach.

Quickly changing into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, Angel left the beach house. It amazed him how beautiful the surroundings were. White sand as far as the eye could see, the silhouette of a pier several miles down the shoreline, water so blue it reflected its surroundings and birds chirping in the nearby trees. It was a picturesque scene. Angel fell in love with it.

***

When Buffy woke up at ten o'clock, she found the couch unoccupied and the living room empty except for herself. 'Where's Angel?' was her first thought.

After searching the entire house extensively, she found no trace of him. "Angel?" she called. "Where are you?"

Walking to the sliding glass door facing the beach, she finally saw him. He was sitting on the back steps, staring at the ocean. "Hey, you," she greeted, smiling as he turned around. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I went for a run along the beach. I go for one everyday, it helps to relax me."

Buffy crouched down in the sand in front of him. "Yeah, I know. I've seen you run by my house really early in the morning."

"You've seen me?" he asked. "And here I thought I was being stealthy."

"Uh-huh. It got to be where I could set my clock by you, you always ran by at the same time. I looked forward to seeing you pass by every morning."

"I never realized I was that predictable," Angel commented. "Maybe I should change my routine."

She shook her head. "Don't. Then I won't have anything to look forward to every morning at six o'clock. Is that what time you were out here this morning?"

"No, I slept in 'til six-thirty."

Raising her eyebrows, Buffy laughed. "You consider six-thirty sleeping in? Ugh."

"I don't like wasting the day. Lemme guess, way too early for you?" joked Angel.

"Yep. I love sleeping in. The later, the better." She looked up at the cloudless blue sky. "God, it's beautiful outside. Warm and sunny."

"That's why I didn't go back inside. It's too nice of a day to be cooped up in the house."

"Well, if you want, we can spend the day outside. Lay on the beach and work on our tans, go swimming, possibly have a picnic lunch or something," Buffy suggested.

He brightened visibly at the suggestion. "Sounds great. I couldn't tell you how long it's been since I've relaxed on a beach. Years probably. Just let me shower. I'm all sweaty and smelly."

"You look fine to me."

As they walked back to the house, Angel grabbed hold of Buffy's arm. "You know, I have been wondering about something all morning."

"What's that?" she wanted to know.

Angel smirked. "Do I snore?"

She laughed. "Nope. I didn't hear a peep out of you all night. You're a very quiet sleeper."

***

Three hours later, the couple headed back outside, carrying their beach towels and bottles of water. By the time Angel finished showering and Buffy got dressed, it was already quarter after eleven. So they decided to forgo breakfast and the picnic lunch in favor of brunch in front of the television.

While Angel removed his t-shirt, Buffy tried not to be obvious as she stared at him. She hadn't realized how muscular he was. With a washboard stomach, broad shoulders and large muscled arms, he reminded her of the perfect man. Angel was exactly what she imagined he'd look like. He was perfect.

Unbeknownst to Buffy, Angel was doing the exact same thing. He nearly gasped out loud as her shapely form was revealed under her shorts and tank top. She wore a two-piece, turquoise bathing suit that covered only the essentials. It might have been looked slutty or trashy on some other girl, but on Buffy it looked sophisticated.

"Hey, Angel?" Buffy asked twenty minutes after they'd laid down, turning on her right side to face him. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Do you ever dream?"

"Occasionally. Of course, it all depends on what I've had to eat before I went to bed," he answered.

She playfully slapped his left arm. "Not that kind of dream. Something you've wanted for longer than you can remember; something you never imagine could ever come true?"

"Sure I do. I guess everyone dreams of meeting someone, falling in love and raising a family with that person. So I guess that doesn't count. Aside from that, I've only had one other dream my entire life. All I ever wanted to do is be a writer. Not necessarily a household name like John Grisham or Stephen King, but just have something of mine published for people to read. And for people to actually read it and like it. I always dreamt of graduating from high school, going to Emerson College in Boston and then after getting my Master's Degree, I'd submit my first manuscript to a major publishing house, where it would go on to being a New York Times best seller. But I've given up on that dream."

"Why? It's a wonderful dream."

"Because it'll never happen."

"But you told me you got accepted to Emerson. Angel, I looked up some information on that college. It's one of the best creative arts colleges in the country. If your dream is to write, that's the place to go," Buffy informed him.

He nodded. "I know it is. And I was so excited when I got the acceptance letter in the mail until I did some serious thinking. I can't go away to school. I have obligations, my mother, my job, not to mention that I can't afford the tuition. That's the end of it. What about you? Do you have a dream?"

She turned on her back again. "It's stupid. Nothing like yours." 'And embarrassing,' she thought. 'No way can I tell you that my dream is to fall asleep in your arms after we've made love. Stupid.'

"Hey, I told you mine."

"I can't tell you. It might not come true then."

"Am I in it?" he kidded.

"Yeah," she replied reluctantly. "And that's why I can't tell you. You'll laugh at me and it won't come true."

"Buffy, I promise I won't laugh at you."

She shook her head. "Nope. If and only if it happens, I'll tell you." Buffy stood up. "I'm going swimming."

She waded into the ocean, enjoying the feeling of the warm sun beating down on her and the cool water on her legs. She dunked her head under the water, cooling her face. While she swam, Buffy reflected on what had happened so far that weekend with Angel. In less than fifteen hours, they'd had a heart to heart talk, they'd shared their dreams of the future - or Angel had, anyway - and Buffy recalled the unpleasant memory of her mother's death. And most importantly, they had professed their love for one another.

Grinning mischievously, she got out of the water, cupping her hands together to hold some of the cool water. When she reached Angel, Buffy separated her hands, letting the water fall to his chest.

As soon as the water landed on him, Angel jolted up into a sitting position. "What the hell…?"

"You looked like you could use some cooling off," she said, giggling.

"I'll get you back for that, Buffy," he swore.

"You'll have to catch me first." She ran back to the water.

He bolted up, chasing his girlfriend into the water. The coolness of the water felt like needles pricking him all of his body, but Angel ignored it, concentrating only on his revenge. By the time he caught up with her, the water was already to his chest.

Picking her up by the waist, he threw Buffy into the water. She resurfaced, wiping water from her face. "You're real funny, you know that?"

"I know. But I'm not done yet." Without warning, Angel dove under the surface, grabbed her by the knees, successfully making her lose her balance. She fell underwater and he took the opportunity to pull her into his embrace. His lips met hers and they continued to kiss even after their heads came above the water.

***

"I had a lot of fun today," Angel said later that night as he and Buffy were watching a movie on television.

She curled up deeper in his comfortable embrace. "Me, too."

"Thanks for inviting me to come here this weekend." He planted a kiss on the back of her head. "You know what? I'm glad Missy and Xander didn't come with us. I don't think I would have had as good of a time."

"I totally agree. We needed some 'us' time."

A bolt of lightning lit the dark night sky and several seconds later, the power went off. Buffy and Angel were left in complete darkness.

"Shit," she cursed when a rumble of thunder came from outside. "We lost power. Now what?"

"Maybe it's only a broken fuse. Where's the fuse box?" asked Angel.

She thought for a moment, trying to recall. "Outside. Five feet off the ground on the right side of the sliding doors."

"I'll go see if I can fix it."

She reached over, opening a drawer on the end table. "Here's a flashlight. Dad always keeps one here just in case. Take it with you. And be careful."

He took it from her. "I will be."

Buffy didn't move a muscle in the entire five minutes Angel was gone. Every time there was a roll of thunder, she jumped. Ever since she was little, she'd been deathly afraid of thunder. Moreso, she hated being alone during a thunderstorm.

"It's not a busted fuse," Angel announced when he returned. "The power is totally out. The lightning must have hit a power line or something. We'll have to wait awhile until the power company comes out and fixes it."

She took the flashlight from him, rainwater dripping on her hand in the process. Turning it on, she flashed it on him. "You're soaked to the bone."

"It's pouring out there."

"You should get out of those clothes before you catch pneumonia."

"I should."

Another crash of thunder sounded, only this time, Buffy screamed. "Are you okay?" Angel asked.

"I'm afraid of thunder. As in deathly afraid," she divulged. Yet another one sounded and she screeched.

"Come here," Angel told her. She fell into his arms and he stroked her hair. "It's okay. I'm right here."

"Hold me?"

"Whatever you want."

Angel simply held Buffy for a few minutes. He leaned down to kiss her, hoping it might take her mind off the electrical storm brewing outside. It deepened to passionate in a short amount of time.

"We should probably stop," he said between kisses. He wasn't really sure if he wanted to stop, though. In fact, he knew he didn't want to stop.

"I don't want to," Buffy answered. "I-I want to do this."

"Buffy-"

"No. I mean it." She took his left hand in hers and placed it over her right breast. "I want you to touch me. Like last night. Only I don't want to stop this time."

Angel took a deep breath. "Maybe we should wait."

"I've waited thirteen years, Angel. I love you. And I want to do this."

She kissed him, praying that he wouldn't tell her to stop. His hand remained where she'd put it, but his other one traveled to the small of her back, holding her in place. Their kiss intensified and she thrust her tongue into his mouth, brushing it against his until the two were dueling. She moved her arms around his waist, untucking his wet t-shirt from his shorts.

Angel broke the kiss. "Bedroom?" he asked breathlessly.

Buffy shook her head. "Too far. Here. Right here."

And as the storm raged outside, the rain pounded against the windows, the thunder crashed and wind blew. The occasional bolt of lightning lit up the otherwise dark living room where Buffy and Angel gave in to their feelings and desires and made love.

***


	13. Chapter 13

13

The power came back on in the middle of the night. The lights turned on, as did the air conditioning and the television. The volume on the television was so loud that it woke up Angel. He opened his eyes, unsure of where he was and why it was so loud. Buffy lay next to him, mere inches away. A peaceful, contented smile adorned her face, proof that she was sleeping soundly.

Angel got up off the floor to turn off the lights and the television. He didn't want them to wake up Buffy as they had him. The first thing he turned off was the television. In doing so, he came to the realization that he was completely naked. 'Maybe I'd better put on a pair of shorts or something,' he thought. So he reached into his overnight bag, pulling out a pair of black boxer shorts. Slipping them on quickly, Angel turned back to see if his girlfriend had woken up.

Buffy lay on the floor, uncovered and hiding nothing in her slumber. For the first time, he was seeing her. It had been too dark while they were making love for them to see one another clearly. And she was utterly breathtaking. There was no part of her he could see that he didn't love.

The previous morning, he'd placed his blanket on the back of the couch, so Angel grabbed it before turning off the lights. When he laid back down again, he covered them both up with it. The last thing Angel wanted was for Buffy to feel uncomfortable when she woke up. Placing a feather-light kiss on her forehead, he went back to sleep.

***

At nine forty-three, Buffy began to stir. Being an early riser, Angel had been awake for two hours, but did not want to leave her side. He'd been watching her sleep since nearly eight in the morning.

Her eyelids fluttered open, and she smiled shyly when she looked right into Angel's brown eyes. It all came back to her: being comforted by him when the power went out and the thunder crashed, kissing him and telling him not to stop, asking him to make love to her, and falling asleep in his arms afterward. He had made her life-long dream come true.

"Good morning," Angel greeted, lightly stroking her silky blonde tresses.

"It's morning already?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yep. The sun is shining and the birds are chirping. It's perfect."

"No more rain?"

"Nope. It must have stopped after we fell asleep."

Buffy sighed happily. "Thank you."

"For what?"

She snuggled tighter in his embrace. Her cheek rested on his broad shoulder, his arms were wrapped around her waist. "For last night. You made me feel so safe."

"I wanted to help you forget about the storm brewing outside. You must really be afraid of thunder," he commented.

"Terrified," she admitted. "But not last night. I never felt so safe and secure in my life."

"That's what I'm here for."

"Wh-what time did you wake up this morning?" Buffy wanted to know.

He shrugged. "Around eight, I suppose."

"Did you got out for your morning run?"

"No. I didn't want to leave your side so I watched you sleep instead," he answered. "Besides, I think I got enough exercise last night to get me through the day."

She frowned with worry. "Angel, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push that on you. We've only been together for a couple of weeks, but I've wanted it for so long. I don't know how long you and Kelley waited before you two slept together, but I feel like I pushed you into something you didn't want. Did I push? 'Cause if I did, I'm sorry and -"

"You don't have to apologize for last night, Buffy. You didn't push me into doing anything I didn't want to do. And I don't even know what the standard waiting period is for what we did last night. In the three years Kelley and I dated, we never once made love and that's the reason she broke up with me."

"Never?" It was one thing to hear the rumors around school, but it was different to hear it straight from Angel.

"Not once. Maybe deep in my heart I knew she wasn't the one I was meant to share that experience with. You were." Angel paused. "Buffy, I didn't screw up at all, did I? I did everything right?"

"I don't know. There's nothing else for me to compare it to."

He looked at her with shock evident on his face. "But I thought…"

"That the rumors were true?" she finished. "I'm not a slut and I haven't slept with anyone else. Last night was the first time for me, too. How could I give my body to someone else when my heart belongs to you?"

"I didn't mean to insinuate anything."

"I know you didn't. I've dated a lot of guys and people automatically assume I slept with them. When I was in eighth grade, my mom gave me the sex talk. What happens, how special it is and that you should only share it with someone you love. And in my heart, in my mind and in my dreams, that someone was always you."

Angel put his fingers under her chin, lifting it as he lowered his head to kiss her. His tongue slid into her mouth and she opened it wider to accommodate him. Buffy broke the kiss shortly thereafter.

"Ugh. Morning breath. Someone needs to go brush his teeth," she teased.

He narrowed his eyes. "Ha ha."

***

With Buffy dressed in a white tank top, khaki shorts and a pair of tennis sneakers, and Angel in a blue t-shirt, jean shorts and sneakers, the two of them took a walk along the beach. They had originally planned to go for a short hike through the woods, but the ground was still muddy from the previous night's storm. So instead, they planned to walk down to the pier two miles down the beach.

She wrapped her arms around his right one. "I can't believe we have to go back tomorrow morning. I don't want to leave."

"Neither do I," agreed Angel. "Too bad we couldn't stay for another day."

"If you call in sick for work we can," she suggested kiddingly.

"I wish I could."

"Yeah, I know. God, I never want to leave. This weekend has been perfect."

Forty-five minutes later, they reached the pier. It was for the most part deserted with the exception of several people fishing and a few other couples walking around. When they couldn't walk any farther, Angel took Buffy into his arms.

"I love you. I can't seem to stop saying it," he said.

"Then don't."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tip-toes to reach her lips to his. Their kiss was gentle and loving, not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves by making it more passionate.

An older couple in their sixties watched with smiles on their faces as Buffy and Angel kissed. "Aww," the lady gushed.

With embarrassed expressions on their faces, Buffy and Angel broke their embrace and blushed when they saw the other couple watching them.

"Now do you see what you've gone and done, Anna? You have embarrassed these poor kids," her husband chastised. "Why don't you apologize?"

"Sorry about that. It's just that you two looked so cute. And so in love," Anna commented.

"Thank you," Buffy replied. "We are."

"You'll have to excuse my Ted, he doesn't have a romantic bone in his body. How long have you kids been together?"

Buffy and Angel exchanged glances. "Three weeks," Angel answered. "But it seems a lot longer. We've known each other since we were little kids. It just took us a little while to get together."

"How sweet. Ted and I have been together for forty-four years now. The best years of my life."

"That's great."

"And I'm still as in love with him as I was when I was twenty. I wish the same for the two of you. I can see you'll make it. There is something in your eyes that tells me you're in it for the long haul. Good luck."

Buffy grinned, hoping with all her heart Anna was right. "Thank you. Same to you as well."

***

When they returned from their walk, the two of them started dinner. Angel still couldn't believe what an amazing cook Buffy was. She'd prepared a sirloin steak smothered with fried onions and mushrooms and gravy, mashed potatoes and broccoli. For dessert she made peanut butter chocolate chip brownies.

At ten after eight, the two of them sat on the beach watching the sun set over the ocean. Buffy's head rested on Angel's shoulder, his right arm flung around her shoulders.

"Dinner was delicious, by the way," Angel complimented. "You're an outstanding cook."

"Years of practice, I guess."

"I don't think I can move a muscle. I'm so stuffed!"

She playfully punched him in the side. "You'd better be able to move. I've got big plans for us tonight and you'll definitely need to move to partake in them."

"I'm not *that* stuffed," he said, playing along.

Buffy put her head back on his shoulder. "This is such a beautiful scene. The sun setting along the ocean horizon…if I could draw, I'd draw this."

"I'll keep that in mind next time I have my sketching pad out."

"You draw?"

He nodded. "A little. I mostly sketch and doodle, though."

"You draw, you write, you get straight A's…is there anything you *can't* do?" she asked.

"Haven't found anything yet."

The sun dipped below the horizon and five minutes after it did so, Angel grabbed Buffy and scooped her up into his arms. She squealed when he began to walk toward the house.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Well, you said you had plans for us tonight and I could use some exercise to burn off some of those excess calories I got from dinner. Unless you are opposed to the idea," Angel informed her.

"You won't find any opposition here. I'm all yours."

He carried her inside the house, heading straight for the bedroom. Angel was going to make damn sure everything was perfect this time around.

No sooner had he placed Buffy back on the ground than she pulled his shirt off. His muscles rippled under his tanned skin as she ran her hands along his chest. She could feel the beating of his heart and she smiled. 'He is so perfect, everything I imagined he'd be. I'm so lucky I found him and that he loves me back,' Buffy thought.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too."

They kissed with a passion the extents of which they'd never experienced before, even the night before.

A pang of nervousness went through Buffy. "Angel, stop for a second. I-I'm really nervous. Scared."

"Why? You don't have to be nervous. It's just me."

She bit her lip. "I know that, and that's why I'm scared. I don't want to disappoint you."

"What are you talking about?" Angel couldn't understand where these things were coming from.

"What if I'm not what you expected? I don't want you to see me and think 'What the hell was I thinking?' or wake up in the morning and go 'Giyah!'. I couldn't stand it if I lost you because I'm not pretty enough."

"Buffy, that's crazy talk. I love you and I'd never think that."

"Still…"

Placing his pointer finger on her lips, Angel silenced her. "I-I saw you. This morning."

"What?"

"Sometime in the middle of the night, the power came back on. When I got up to turn everything off, I saw you sleeping. And the sight of you, it was so wonderful, so perfect and beautiful. It didn't disappoint me at all. I'm still here now, so that should tell you something."

"Really?"

Angel nodded. "Really. Now, are you going to let me finish what I started?"

"Okay."

Buffy ran her hand along the side of his face. "I love you, Angel. Only you, for the rest of my life."

He closed his eyes at her words. "I know. Me, too."

"Will you hold me until I fall asleep?"

"You never had to ask."

After he'd settled into bed under the covers, he took his love in his arms. "Remember yesterday when we were talking about our dreams?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah."

"This was mine. Right here, right now. Falling asleep in your arms. And you made it come true. This is all I ever dreamed of."

Angel kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad I could make it come true for you. And I'll do my best to make them all come true. Every last one."

***

A horrific nightmare woke Buffy up several hours later. She bolted upright in bed, her eyes filled with frightened tears and her breathing heavy. Holding the blanket to her chest, she tried to catch her breath. Angel, who'd been asleep next to her with his hand resting on her stomach, awoke a minute later.

"Hey. What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up alongside her.

Her lower lip quivered as she touched her hand to his warm cheek. "You're real? You're really here?"

"Of course I am. Where else did you expect me to be?"

Buffy rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. "I…it must have been a dream. An awful dream."

"I'm thinking it must have been really horrible if you're so upset. What did you see? What happened?"

"It was a nightmare, Angel. I dreamt that none of this happened. You and Kelley never broke up, you went to the Prom with her and I asked you to dance. When I told you how I felt, you laughed at me. Everyone laughed at me. You and Kelley and Xander and Harmony and Cordy and your sister…the entire senior class! You said I was just some snobby little princess and that you hated me. It was horrible!"

Angel put his arms around her, holding her so that her back was pressed against his chest. "It's okay, Buffy. It wasn't real. Right here, right now…this is real. I swear it."

She felt his hands moving under the blanket to embrace her. "Promise?"

Planting a kiss on her shoulder, he replied, "You have my word."

***


	14. Chapter 14

14

At noon the following day, Buffy walked into her house. She was both happy and sad at the same time. On one hand, she'd spent the most perfect weekend of her life with the man she loved. On the other, she was disappointed that it had to end. And that she and Angel had to part. They'd kissed and held each other when she dropped him off at home, but he promised to call her when he got home from work.

"Buffy. You're home awfully early," Mr. Summers commented when his daughter entered the kitchen.

"Yeah. Wanted to beat the holiday traffic. How was your meeting in Seattle?"

"Boring. But everything's okay now, we worked it out."

She smiled. "Glad to hear it."

"And how was your weekend? Did you have a good time?"

Buffy blinked. 'Does Dad know?' She always felt as if her father could see right through her. And she knew he'd be livid if he found out she'd lied about spending the weekend with her friends. Especially when she had actually spent the weekend with her boyfriend.

"Yeah. We had a great time. Girls' weekend and all that, big fun," she lied.

He turned back to his newspaper. "And Prom? That went well, I suppose?" he continued, not showing a great deal of interest. He only asked because he felt he was obligated to.

His lack of interest didn't go unnoticed by Buffy. Her face fell. "I was voted Prom Queen."

"That's great, honey," he replied casually. "Glad you had fun."

"I'm going to my room to unpack my stuff," she informed him, biting her lip to hold back her tears. She hated being back home; she missed Angel. Not just him, but she missed having someone around who was concerned about her feelings. Her father obviously didn't care.

"Cordelia called this morning and wants you to call her back," Mr. Summers said. "Didn't she go with you to the beach house? I thought you said she was."

'Oh shit,' she thought. 'Now what?' "Um, she had a family thing to do. Her parents wouldn't let her go."

"All right. Oh and, Buffy?" he called before she stepped out of the room.

She turned around. "What, Dad?"

"Wear something nice to dinner tonight. I have one of my business associates coming over."

"Okay."

"Why don't you invite your new boyfriend to join us? That way I can meet this young man of yours and you'll have someone to talk to."

Buffy shook her head. "He has to work tonight. Maybe some other time."

She left the room, heading straight for her bedroom. Upon closing the door, Buffy leaned against it, a solitary tear falling down her cheek. 'Angel, I need you. I miss you so much. I need your arms around me right now.' She wondered what he was doing at that exact moment.

***

Angel stood on the front porch for close to five minutes after Buffy pulled away. He kept his eyes on her car until she made a left-hand turn at the end of his street, heading in the direction of the wealthier side of town. It felt strange for him to be away from her. They'd spent nearly every minute together since Saturday morning. He missed her sunny presence already.

He entered his house, half-expecting to be dive-bombed by his mother and sister. Thankfully, he found the living room empty.

"Mom?" he called. "Missy? Is anyone home?"

"We're in the kitchen!"

Holding his overnight bag in his left hand, Angel found them sitting at the kitchen table, watching him expectantly. "I'm home. Did everything go okay while I was away?"

"Yes. Us women managed fine without you," Melissa replied sarcastically. "No major catastrophes occurred while you were off frolicking in the sun with your girlfriend."

"Missy…"

She raised her eyebrows. "God, take a joke. Actually, Mom felt a little dizzy yesterday but that's about it."

"Are you alright?" he asked his mother. Suddenly, he felt guilty for being away when Mrs. Riches needed him.

His mother nodded her head. "It was nothing. Just a minor dizzy spell. Nothing to get all worked up about."

"I should have been here."

"Like I said, it was nothing. Besides, you deserved a weekend away from all this doom and gloom. Did you have a good time? And Prom, how did that go?" Mrs. Riches wanted to know.

Angel smiled. "I'm glad I went. I had a great time at Prom with Buffy. It was fun."

"Your sister said Buffy was voted to be Prom Queen. You must have been very proud of her achievement."

"I was lucky to have gone with her. And the weekend trip to the beach house was a lot of fun as well."

"What did you two do there?"

He couldn't tell his mother everything that happened over the weekend. "Friday night we talked, Saturday we laid on the beach and went tanning and swimming. There was a storm at night and it knocked the power out. And then on Sunday Buffy and I went for a walk down to a pier and watched some movies later on. Nothing too exciting."

"You must be exhausted. Buffy probably wore you right out," Melissa commented harshly.

Angel chose to ignore his sister. "Like I said, it was fun. Buffy and I had a great time."

Mrs. Riches smiled. "And I seem to remember three weeks ago when a certain young man came into this house swearing off girls. Said they only went for bad boys. It looks like you found one who likes the good guys. You might want to keep Buffy around, Angel."

"I plan on it." He sighed. "I'm going to put my stuff away before it gets all wrinkled and take a nap before work."

"It sounds like Angel really enjoyed himself this weekend," Mrs. Riches said to Melissa once Angel left the room. "I like his new girlfriend. Buffy's very down-to-earth and is such a lovely girl. They make quite a handsome couple."

Melissa shrugged. "I guess so."

"And she makes your brother quite happy. Did you see that smile on his face? I bet she put it there," Mrs. Riches noted.

"Yeah." 'I bet I know how it got there, too.' She stood up. "I have to go ask him something. Excuse me."

Melissa headed down the hall to Angel's bedroom, not bothering to knock before entering. He looked up when he heard the door open. "Missy, what are you doing in here?" Angel demanded.

"I want to know what really happened this weekend."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh please. Don't act stupid, Angel. It doesn't become you. Do you honestly expect me to believe that all you did with Buffy was swim and talk and tan and go for walks? How stupid do you think I am? You might be able to pull your good little boy routine off on Mom, but it doesn't work with me," accused Melissa.

Angel nonchalantly hung up a shirt. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

"Did you sleep with her?"

"That's none of your business."

"You did! I can't believe it. My own twin brother had sex with the Ice Princess!"

"You're putting words in my mouth, Missy. I never said that."

"You don't have to! It's written all over your face. What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked. "Angel, you could have any girl in the entire school, but instead you had to pick the bitchiest, most self-centered person on the planet! Why?"

"I love her. And she loves me."

Melissa shook her head. "She's playing you for a fool. How much are you willing to bet that your precious little girlfriend is on the phone with all of her other bitchy friends telling them what it was like to finally land you in bed?"

"Get out," he ordered, doing his best to keep his voice under control.

"I'm simply stating a fact."

"You don't know the facts. Actually, you have no idea what happened between me and Buffy this weekend. It was wonderful, she made me feel alive for the first time in my life."

She nodded. "You did sleep with her. You did it with Buffy."

"So what if we did sleep together?!" Angel exploded. "It doesn't concern you or anyone else. It's my life, let me live it."

***

"Are you going to tell me what happened this weekend or not?" Cordelia asked excitedly when Buffy came over an hour later. "I want details!"

"What do you want to know?"

She sighed, exasperated. "Hello? Everything!"

"It was nice."

"Nice? Nice?! You have got to be kidding me. You spent the entire weekend with *the* most gorgeous guy at Sunnydale High and all you can say is 'it was nice'?"

Buffy plopped down on Cordelia's bed. "It was the best weekend of my life!"

"Care to elaborate or am I going to have to guess?"

Buffy smiled softly. "Friday night, Angel and I had a long talk. I told him everything…I said that I have loved him since grade school."

"What did he say?" she wanted to know.

"He didn't get angry or push me away or anything. Cordy, he loves me, too. More than he ever loved Kelley. We kissed and we went to bed," she said.

Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "You went to bed? As in slept together?"

"Not like that."

"So, nothing happened between you two."

"That isn't what I said. Let's just say I owe you a very expensive Prada purse," Buffy told her, cryptically.

Her jaw dropped. "You're kidding. Something did go on this weekend. I knew you two wouldn't be able to keep your hands off of each other."

"It started out innocently enough," she began. "Friday night he and I were kissing and before I knew it, he was touching me. Hands-in-my-shirt kind of touching. Plain old making out Saturday on the beach, but then there was an electrical storm at night. And you know how afraid I am of thunder. Angel held me and comforted me and one thing led to another. I woke up Sunday morning on the floor in the living room with his arms around me."

"You actually slept with him?" Cordelia couldn't believe it. Granted, she assumed something would happen between Buffy and Angel, but she never imagined it would go beyond kissing and touching.

Buffy nodded sheepishly. "Yeah. It was great, wonderful, perfect, and a million other adjectives I can't think of. I made love to the man I love, how could it not be perfect and wonderful? It felt right and he made me feel so safe, so beautiful. Everyone's first time should be like that."

"Did you guys spend the entire rest of the weekend in bed? Was it a day-long sexfest on Sunday?" her friend joked.

"No!" Buffy exclaimed, agitated. "See, now you're just making what Angel and I shared seem so cheap. It wasn't."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Buffy, I was curious, I guess. But…what was it like?"

"Great. Every single time, because I was with him. Neither of us were sure the first time, so we had to follow our instincts. I wouldn't trade this past weekend with him for anything in the world."

"Wow. That is so cool. Almost makes me want to rub it in Kelley Page's face that you slept with him before she did."

Buffy shook her head. "Cordy, don't. It's not right."

"Who cares? It'll be fun. Besides, that was the whole reason she broke up with him. It will eat her up inside and I want to see it."

"I can't do that. She doesn't need to know and I'm not going to say anything. And if you are really my best friend, you won't say anything either. Everybody doesn't need to know. What me and Angel did was private; I'm only telling you because you're my best friend. Please, don't tell anyone else."

"I won't say a word."

Buffy hugged her. "Thank you. This is it, Cordelia. I'm going to be with Angel forever. We were destined to be together, and after this weekend, I am positive of it."

***


	15. Chapter 15

15

At school the next day, Angel stood in front of his locker reading the index cards he'd made for his and Buffy's presentation first period. He was worried that he'd mess up the dates and cause both of them to fail. After all the hard work they'd put into it, Angel didn't want that to happen.

"Doing some last-minute cramming?" Buffy asked, walking up to him.

He nodded. "Yeah. I wanted to go over all the information one last time before we have class."

"Nervous about having to talk in front of the entire class? You never seemed like the type who had a fear of public speaking."

"I just don't want to screw up the facts and end up wasting all of our time. We worked hard on this project."

"We did. But I'm confident that we'll do fine. Come on, Mr. Giles adores you, you're not going to fail. And he's not going to fail me either. Don't worry about it."

"Still -"

Buffy interrupted him. "Angel, just shut up and kiss me. I guarantee it'll take your mind off things."

He couldn't deny that it would. Looking at his girlfriend, Angel wondered if he'd be able to concentrate on the project with her being so close, smelling like raspberries and looking so good. She was wearing a pale pink skirt with flowers on it, a white button-down blouse and cream-colored Mary Janes. The outfit itself was conservative, yet it hid nothing from Angel. He knew the curves that were hidden beneath the concealing clothes. Her hair flowed in waves to her shoulders, and he had to keep himself from running his hands through it.

Bending down to kiss her, Angel placed his hands on either side of her waist, lifting Buffy slightly off the ground. She threw her arms around his neck, brought her lips to his and they kissed gently. Neither wanted to make a big scene in the middle of the hallway, so they kept their embrace rather toned-down.

"Mmm. Do you have any idea how much I missed being able to do that?" Buffy questioned when their embrace ended. "It was hell not being with you yesterday."

"It wasn't like we didn't see each other, Buffy. Plus, we were on the phone for two hours last night," Angel pointed out.

She frowned. "You know what I mean. I missed falling asleep in your arms, your heartbeat lulling me to sleep, making love to you, waking up with your arms wrapped around me so tight and secure…I missed all of that yesterday. It was like the biggest piece of me was missing."

"I know what you mean." Angel leaned his head down, pressing his forehead against hers. "I think maybe we need to talk about something, though."

"What is it?"

He took a deep breath before beginning. "This past weekend was wonderful, pure heaven. I never felt so free in my entire life, and I have you to thank for it."

"I'm sensing a big 'but' here."

"Some stuff happened there that I never planned on. And I think maybe you and I should have thought more about it before we…before we slept together."

Buffy backed up a few steps. His words took her by surprise. "You're angry. At me, for pushing you. I knew it. You didn't want to do it, but I made you and now you're mad."

Putting his hands on her shoulders, Angel shook his head. "No, I'm not angry or mad or even the least bit regretful about anything we did. I wanted it just as badly as you did, believe me. But like I said before, it wasn't planned, at least on my part. I was re-living it last night before bed and in retrospect, I realized we forgot something really important."

"What?"

He looked around, making sure nobody was listening to them. "Protection."

"No we didn't."

"Buffy, we did. Trust me, I didn't have anything. I never expected to do what we did and I didn't bring anything with me just in case."

"I had it covered, Angel. I…I've been on the pill for years now." She caught the look of confusion on his face. "For medical reasons. You know you're the only one."

Angel sighed with relief. It was a load off his mind. "I feel a little better about it now. But maybe next time we should have more. You know, just to be safe."

"Next time?" she asked with a smile.

He nodded. "There's going to be a next time, right?"

"Probably. I wouldn't say no if you proposed the idea. And do whatever you feel you need to do. If it'll ease your mind, do it."

He grabbed a hold of her hand. "That's why I love you."

"I love you, too. Now let's get to class and ace that presentation."

***

Kelley found Melissa after third period and pulled her off to the side of the hallway away from everyone else.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Melissa demanded.

"I've got questions and you've got answers," Kelley stated.

"Go away."

"As soon as you tell me exactly what's going on between Angel and Buffy."

Melissa raised her eyebrows. "Why do you care, Kelley? As I seem to recall, you dumped my brother for Parker. What's the matter, did he get sick of your annoying, incessant whining?"

"I'm concerned about Angel, that's all. I don't want to see him get hurt."

"Like you hurt him? You have no idea how upset he was when you broke up with him. But he's moved on. Get over yourself, Kelley. Angel certainly has." She enjoyed tormenting her brother's ex-girlfriend. It was almost as much fun as tormenting his current one.

"Is it serious?" she wanted to know. "I know they've been working on some project for English class and they went to Prom together. And I walked by them this morning and saw them kissing. All I want to know is how serious they are."

"It's pretty serious. Satisfied?"

"Is it true they went away together this past weekend? That's what I heard."

"What's wrong? Are you jealous of their relationship? Angry because he moved on to someone else when he's supposed to be pining over you?" Melissa asked.

"No!"

"I think you are. Angel's happy, so just stay out of it. I may not like Buffy Summers personally, but she is a vast improvement over you. She makes him happy; happier than I ever saw him with you."

Kelley shook her head. "No. Angel still loves me. He always will."

"Sure, whatever. Feel free to keep deluding yourself. He's in love with Buffy. Told me so yesterday afternoon, as a matter of fact. Oh, and yes, they did go away together," Melissa informed Kelley with a hint of glee in her voice.

The worst possible scenario entered Kelley's mind. She imagined Angel wrapped up in Buffy's arms, a loving smile on his face, blankets wrapped around his waist. "Did they…sleep together?" she choked out.

"Don't know," she lied. Melissa knew that her brother would kill her if she told anyone else. As much as she wanted to blurt it out, just to see the expression on Kelley's face, she did not want to hurt Angel or break a promise to him.

"Angel tells you everything, Missy. You *do* know." 'Do I really want to know, though?' Kelley thought. 'Wait. Angel would never do it with the Ice Princess. He's too chivalrous and noble and old-fashioned. He didn't try to touch me for three years, no way did he go all the way with someone he's only been seeing for a couple weeks. And certainly *not* with her. Not my Angel.'

She smirked. "Maybe I do and maybe I don't. But you'll never find out unless Angel tells you so himself. And I don't see that happening. Now get out of my way before you make me late for class."

As she walked down the hall, Melissa smiled to herself. Kelley was jealous of Buffy. 'How funny is that? Oh, if only she knew. I have got to tell Angel.'

***

Buffy met up with Angel in front of the cafeteria as lunch was beginning. They hadn't seen each other since their English class ended two hours earlier.

"Hey," Angel greeted. "I missed you all morning."

Her green eyes sparkled with glee at his greeting. "Really? You missed me?"

He kissed her cheek lightly. "Of course I did. I always miss you when you're gone."

"That's so sweet."

"You make it sound like nobody's ever said that to you before."

"That's because nobody has. Well, except my parents, but they don't count. But coming from you, it does."

Angel laughed. "I count, huh?"

"Uh-huh." She bit her lip. "Am I…am I allowed to sit with you or isn't it appropriate or proper or whatever? I'm not up on these things."

"Of course you can sit with me. It'll be something new; Kelley never sat with us. She and Missy didn't exactly get along."

"I take it Melissa doesn't get along with anyone you go out with."

He narrowed his eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"'Cause she doesn't like me either."

"She just hasn't given you a chance yet. Give her some time and she'll come around. I'll *make* her come around."

They walked over to where Xander and Melissa were sitting. "Hi, guys," Angel said to them. "Do you mind if Buffy's sits with us today?"

Xander shook his head. "Fine by me." Ever since Prom, he'd discovered that he didn't dislike Buffy as much as he thought he would. He'd been judging her based on rumors and as it turned out, he liked the girl. She was nice, funny, sweet and most of all, his best friend was in love with her. Xander felt he owed it to Angel to try to get to know Buffy, and he wanted to. "How's it going, Buffy?" he asked.

She smiled shyly at him. It felt uncomfortable to be sitting with them; part of her felt unwanted at this table with Angel's best friend and twin sister. "Really good, Xander. What about you?"

"Same. Happy that that English presentation is finally over. I hope Sherri and I did okay. The last thing I need is another F in that class."

"You guys did great, I'm sure of it," Buffy reassured him. "Mr. Giles looked really impressed with your project."

"You and Angel nailed it. Add another A in the grade book for you two."

"I hope so."

Melissa picked up her can of Pepsi and took a sip of it. "So, Buffy, where's your tiara? Prom Queen is such a big honor, I would have thought you'd be wearing it all the time."

Buffy knew that Angel's sister was being sarcastic. "No, I took it off when Angel and I got to my dad's beach house Friday night. Haven't worn it since. And when I got home yesterday, I put it on a shelf in my bedroom with all my other prizes and trophies and things. Why did you think I'd be wearing it?"

"I figured you'd want to prove to everyone that you really are the prettiest girl in the Senior class. Vindication and all that. You know, they can't call you names anymore, like 'Buck Tooth Bitch' or 'Pimple Princess.'"

She glared at her boyfriend's sister. "Well, as I recall, Melissa, those were all names you made up for me."

"Still…"

"Truthfully, it doesn't matter to me anymore. I honestly don't care what people said about me when we were in junior high. I'm not the same person I was back then."

Melissa smirked. "Yeah, I know. You're only half the person you were back then. It's amazing what Weight Watchers and a little plastic surgery will do. Especially when Daddy's loaded and his daughter has a face with mountains of acne."

"Missy, that's enough!" Angel chastised.

"I was only kidding."

"Well, you're taking it too far. I don't want to hear it anymore. Can't you just be civil for five minutes?"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever."

Angel placed his palm flat on Buffy's back. "I'm so sorry about that," he apologized. "Melissa doesn't know when to stop. Are you okay?"

Buffy nodded. "I'm fine. I can handle it. Hell, I have for years, I should be used to it by now. Angel, she's mostly right. I was fat, ugly and had awful skin. No big deal. Let's forget about it."

***

From across the lunchroom, Kelley stared angrily over at Angel's table. His left hand was rubbing Buffy's back while she fed him french fries off her plate. She balled her hand in anger and disgust; he'd never been that attentive or loving during their three years together.

'Look at her,' Kelley thought. 'She's eating it up! Goddamned little bitch. Who the hell does Buffy Summers think she is? Rebound girl, that's who!'

"Kelley?"

She turned around, seeing Parker looking at her with questions in his dark eyes. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I was asking you what you wanted to do tonight," he told her. "But apparently, your mind is somewhere else. Like, on your ex-boyfriend."

"Don't they realize this is a classroom, not an orgy?" she asked. "How gross! God, we never did that. Look at them! He's got his hands all over her. Angel refused to touch me or even kiss me in public. He's practically groping Buffy in front of the entire school!"

He glanced over at the other table. "Can't say I blame him any. Buffy's a hottie. She's got an amazing body now that she's lost all that weight. He's a lucky guy."

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me."

"You're sick. It…it's gross. My boyfriend's got his hands all over that little slut. It's a disgusting sight."

Parker narrowed his eyes. "Ex-boyfriend."

"What?"

"Angel is your ex-boyfriend, Kelley. You dumped him for me, remember?" He took a deep breath. "As I seem to recall, he wasn't man enough to give you what you needed. But I was more than willing to do it. It certainly looks like he's giving Buffy what you wanted from him all along."

Kelley hit him. "That's not funny."

"And neither is sitting here while my girlfriend is staring at her ex. You need to get over this fascination with him. Who cares if he's screwing her?"

"I care."

"Well, get over it or pretty soon, you won't have a boyfriend. 'Cause frankly, I'm getting sick of it."

She sighed heavily. "Parker, I didn't mean it like that. Really. I can't help but care about him and worry about him."

"Do you still love him?"

"I was with him for three years and a part of me will always love him," she answered honestly. "I hope you understand that."

"Yeah, but I don't like it. You're my girl, not his. He seems to have moved on, maybe it's time you did the same," Parker suggested.

***


	16. Chapter 16

16

"So, I heard you went to Prom with the owner's daughter," Liz said to Angel at work that evening.

"Yeah, I did. We had a great time."

"And here I always thought you hated Buffy as much as the rest of us. Were all the other guys at school afraid to be seen with her and her daddy paid you to go with her?"

Angel glared at his co-worker. "Where did you hear that from?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "That's what I heard at school. Everyone's talking about you two. How much did you get paid for taking the Ice Princess to Prom? A hundred dollars and the weekend off? Not worth it if you ask me."

"I went with Buffy because she asked me to go," he replied through gritted teeth. "Her father never paid me, I went because I wanted to go with her."

"Are you two dating now?"

"Yes. She and I have been going out for weeks now. Is there a problem with that? Is it against some law or rule to date the girl I love?" Angel shot at Liz.

Her jaw dropped. "Love?"

"Love. L-O-V-E. Do you want me to shout it throughout the entire store that I love Buffy? I'll do it."

"I wouldn't mind hearing it," a voice from behind him stated.

Turning around to the checkout line, Angel found his girlfriend standing there with a pleasant smile on her face. "I didn't see you standing there just now," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"I missed your handsome face. And I needed a few things."

He looked down at the pile of stuff she bought. "Apparently so. Want it on your account?"

Buffy shook her head. "I think I'd better pay cash for this. Dad doesn't need to know everything I bought today."

Angel began to ring up her items. Shampoo, conditioner, the raspberry body wash he'd loved the smell of Friday night, a pair of shoes, a silky black nightgown and a matching robe. "Nice," he complimented.

"Do you like it?" she wanted to know.

"Very much."

"I'll model it for you one of these days. Next time Dad goes out of town. Which should be soon, given his track record."

When Angel picked up the nightgown to place it in the bag, he noticed two boxes underneath it. He was a little tongue-tied. "Buffy - you bought…"

"Uh-huh. I thought you might be a little too self-conscious buying them yourself, so I figured 'what the hell' and picked them up myself. Are you upset?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. Just surprised I guess. Why two boxes?"

"One to keep at my house, one for yours," she replied with a mischievous grin on her face. "Think about how many we would have gone through this weekend if we'd had them. Besides, you said you wanted us to use more protection. Here you go."

"You're amazing, Buffy. Totally amazing."

She pulled him close to whisper in his ear. "They're multi-colored and ribbed for added pleasure. Thought you'd like to know."

Liz heard them giggling and from her lane, she caught sight of a box of condoms on the conveyor belt in front of Angel. Her eyes widened. 'Looks like things are moving pretty fast there. Either that or the Ice Princess thinks she's going to get some. Ha! Like he'd do that.'

"Doing anything after school tomorrow?" asked Angel, putting the rest of her things in the plastic bag.

"Nothing written in stone. Depends on what you've got planned."

"Well, Missy's got softball practice and Mom's going to visit an old high school friend. I wondered if maybe you'd like to come over and keep me company."

She lifted her eyebrows. "The whole house to ourselves?"

"We can work on that box for my house. I don't want to see them go to waste."

"Oh no, wouldn't want that to happen. How can I say no to that proposal? You're on."

***

"I don't get you, Buffy," Harmony said to her during lunch on Wednesday morning.

Buffy lifted her eyebrows. "Why? What did I do?"

"The graduation party you're having next month. I was under the impression it was going to be very exclusive. Only the really cool people were to be invited, that's what you told us. Now it's a big free-for-all. There's flyers everywhere!"

"Thank you, Harmony, for telling me. But since I'm the one who put them there, I already knew that. I decided to invite the entire Senior class," she informed her friend. "It's only fair."

"Are you aware that there will be major losers at your party? People like Anya Emerson and Xander Harris will be coming. It's just wrong!" complained Harmony.

"Xander Harris happens to be a very nice guy. You should give him a chance."

Harmony made a face. "Ew! I *so* don't think so. Talk about gross and disgusting. Why are you inviting everyone?"

"It's not just my graduation, it's everyone's. And I don't want to exclude anyone because they're not 'cool' enough for you."

Cordelia sat down across from Buffy. "Whoa, intense conversation going on here. What did I miss?"

"Nothing, except Buffy has completely lost her mind!" Harmony screeched.

The brunette smiled. "And how did you come to this conclusion, Harm? What did she do?"

"Didn't you see the invitations Buffy posted on the bulletin boards around school? Anyone and everyone can come to her graduation party."

"Your dad gave you the okay?" Cordelia asked Buffy. Her friend had called her last night with the idea. She thought it sounded like fun. Even though she knew the real reason was so she'd have an excuse to invite Angel and his friends.

Buffy nodded. "Yep. He even agreed to spend the night at a hotel so he wouldn't get in the way."

"That is so cool. Have you told Angel yet?"

"Nope. He's the whole reason I'm doing this, you know that. If it was just the quote-unquote cool people, he'd be bored out of his cute little mind. If I invite the whole Senior class, then he'll have someone talk to, etc.. Think about it, if I invite you guys and just him, he'd probably be stuck by my side the entire night."

Cordelia pouted her lips. "Oh, horror! An obviously smart and good-looking guy hanging on your every word…what torture for you, Buffy."

Harmony sighed. "Can we not talk about the dementia that is your boyfriend? God, Buffy, what do you see in that boy?"

"I thought I covered it with smart and good-looking," Cordelia said. "Buffy loves him; we should be happy for her."

"Hey, I'm happy that she found someone. I just don't understand why it had to be him. Of all the guys at Sunnydale High, it had to be the poorest, least worthy."

"Harmony, I don't expect you to understand," Buffy told her. "It seems like nobody else does and I'm sick of having to explain it. I love him and he loves me. That's all that matters."

***

Buffy glanced around Angel's house after they walked through the back door. "Are you absolutely positive that nobody else is home?"

"Yes. Missy has softball practice until four-thirty and Mom said she won't be home for dinner. We're completely alone, Buffy. You and me and an empty house for an hour and a half."

She stood in front of him. "So, what do you want to do?"

"I thought we'd get to work on that box you bought yesterday. Unless you have a better idea as to how we can pass the time."

"I don't have any better ideas, sorry. Looks like you'll have to lead the way to your bedroom, though."

Taking her hand in his, Angel led her to his bedroom. Upon reaching it, he opened the door for her. "Here we are, my lady."

Buffy walked in, looking around the room with interest. She'd never been inside his room before. "Nice. Definitely not what I expected from you, though."

"What did you think you'd find?"

"I don't know. Something more masculine. Trophies, posters of football players or half-naked women. Not…stuffed animals and a blanky. That is a blanky, isn't it?"

He nodded, looking down. "Yeah. Embarrassing, but I can't seem to part with it. It's like comfort to me. But the stuffed animals are mostly Melissa's. Only one or two of them are mine."

"I think it's so cute that you have a blanky after all these years. Most guys would never admit to that."

"Guess it's a good thing I'm not most guys?"

Buffy pulled him closer to her until their bodies touched. "It's a very good thing. You're different from other guys, that's part of why I love you. Now, what do you say we open that box?"

Angel grinned. "Your wish is my command."

***

It was quarter to four when Melissa returned home from softball practice. The coach had let the team leave early because she had a parent-teacher meeting at her son's school. So Melissa jogged home rather than call her brother for a ride home.

She sighed with aggravation when she saw Buffy's car parked in the driveway. 'Great. Just what I need. Now I'm going to have to deal with her on top of everything else. I hope she's not staying for dinner,' Melissa thought.

The house was silent when she entered. "Where the hell are they?" she said.

She headed for Angel's bedroom, wanting to tell him that she was home. But when she opened his door, Melissa caught sight of something she really hadn't wanted to see.

Angel and Buffy.

In his bed.

Naked.

Trying her best to suppress the scream inside her throat, she closed the door silently, hoping she had not been noticed by the two lovers.

"Ew…" she mumbled. "I *so* did not need to see that." She tried to shake away the images of her brother in an intimate embrace with Buffy. Walking into her room across the hall, Melissa turned on the radio and waited.

***

"Are you sure you can't stay for dinner?" Angel asked after they were finished getting dressed.

Buffy shook her head. "I wish I could, believe me. But Dad's got some client of his coming over for dinner and guess who has to cook it? Me. Although I'll take a raincheck on that dinner."

He bent down to kiss her. "Anytime. Do you want me to walk you to your car?"

"That's okay. I think I can find it. Besides, it might be a better idea if you straightened up your bed before Melissa and your mother get home."

"We did make a mess, didn't we?" he commented with a smile.

"A little bit. I'll give you a call when my Dad's client leaves."

"Promise?"

"Yep, I promise. Thanks for this afternoon. It was…pleasurable."

Angel laughed at her choice of words. "I have to agree with that. I never knew what I was missing until I met you. And fell in love with you and…well, this. And I saw the flyers around school. I can't wait for your graduation party. It should be fun."

"Oh yeah. We can sneak off and have our own little private party." She glanced at her watch. "Okay, I *really* need to get going. See you tomorrow."

After giving him one last kiss goodbye, Buffy left his room and walked to the front door. She didn't see Melissa sitting at the kitchen table working on her homework.

"Well, I was wondering how long it would be before you two came out of my brother's room," Melissa said.

"I-I didn't see you there."

She laughed shortly. "Yeah, apparently. I've been home for half an hour, but you and Angel were too busy to notice. But I suppose it's understandable when you're focused on screwing the guy on top of you."

Buffy visibly paled. "You saw us?"

"Unfortunately. You know, I never thought my own twin brother would be the fire who'd melt the Ice Princess' heart."

"Shut up."

"Look, Buffy, I don't know what kind of game you're playing with Angel's heart, but if you hurt him, you'll be hearing it from me. And you'll wish you'd never met him, or me. Is that understood?"

"I have no intention of hurting Angel, Melissa. I love him and I don't hurt the people I love. There's no game here. It's real. You are going to have to deal with that."

Melissa stood up. "I'm just giving you fair warning. It's no secret that I don't like you."

"Why? What did I ever do to you? Because if my memory serves correctly, I should be the one who hates you," Buffy stated with a razor edge to her voice. "You and all your friends teased and tormented me for years because I was overweight and ugly. I can understand that and I've moved past it; ignored it and not let it bother me. But what's your excuse now? Huh? I'm not fat anymore, and if my Prom Queen crown means anything, I'd assume I am no longer ugly. So, come on, tell me. Why do you still hate me?"

"You're a stuck up princess who thinks the world revolves around her. You have always looked down on everyone else because we're not good enough to be in your line of sight."

"That's not true. I never did that."

Melissa smirked. "Sure you didn't. Tell me, is sleeping with my unsuspecting brother considered slumming? Or is it a dare, perhaps, from one of your snobby friends?"

She shook her head. "No, never. Maybe you don't care that I've loved Angel since I was five. He never treated me the way the rest of your friends did. He was nice, he always stood up for me when you were making fun of me. I don't need your approval, nor do I want it. Can't you see that I make him happy?"

"That's why I don't want you to hurt him. Remember, I warned you."

"I'm obviously not going to change your opinion, which is fine with me. Think what you want, Melissa. But if you keep this up, I'll show you why they call me the Ice Princess. Don't push me. 'Cause I'll push back."

***


	17. Chapter 17

17

"This is it," Buffy said to Angel as they prepared for graduation. The entire Senior class was milling around the gymnasium, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

"Yep. Looks like," he agreed.

"Are you excited about your speech?" she wanted to know. Buffy couldn't wait to hear it; Angel had refused to let her see the four drafts he'd made of it. He'd been very self-conscious about letting anyone read it.

He shook his head. "Not excited. More along the lines of nervous and utterly terrified."

"You've given speeches before," she reminded him.

"Yeah, in front of a classroom of people. This is ten times different, Buffy. It's not twenty-five students this time around. It's one hundred students and their families. That's a lot of people."

Buffy put her arms around him in a show of comfort. "And you'll do just fine. Forget about the three hundred other people in the room and pretend you're talking to me."

"I wish it were that simple."

"It's time, students! Take your places!" Mr. Giles called.

The students filed into two straight lines, heading for the auditorium. Buffy stood behind Melissa and she reached around her to touch Angel's arm. "Good luck."

He smiled weakly. "Thanks. I'm going to need it."

***

"Now, may I introduce the 2001 class Valedictorian. Angel Riches," Principal Snyder announced.

Carefully standing up, Angel ascended the stairs that led to the stage. He stood behind the podium, his index cards spread before him. Taking a deep breath, he began.

"Ladies and gentlemen, faculty and staff, my fellow students, today we stand at a crossroads. Graduation. To some, it's the end of an era, a great period of time that is coming to an end; to others, it's the beginning of a new life. Where do we go from here?

"I see life as a neverending road. Occasionally, you reach a fork and you must decide which road to take. Do you continue along the same path or do you turn onto another road to see where it takes you?"

Buffy listened attentively to every word he was saying. She couldn't have been more proud of him as he spoke about the difficult choices they'd be faced with; being forced to leave behind loved ones, friends, significant others and everyone they care about during their journey. Angel spoke about true love and finding the one person to spend eternity with. In her heart, she knew he was speaking about the two of them.

When his speech was concluded, the audience stood up and applauded. Angel's words were true, everyone knew it. Buffy felt tears sting her eyes when he ended by saying, "And no matter where our respective roads take us, we'll always be connected. We will be able to look back and say that we are the Sunnydale High Class of 2001."

***

After the graduation ceremony ended, Buffy caught up with her father in the campus quad. "Hi, Dad!"

He embraced her. "Hi, my little graduate. I can hardly believe that my little girl is out of high school. I wish your mother were still alive to see it; she'd be so proud."

"Wherever she is, I know she's watching," Buffy responded.

Mr. Summers nodded. "You're probably right. She wouldn't have missed it for the world."

"Do you want me to introduce you to Angel now?" she asked. "He's over there with his mom and sister. It's the perfect time for you two to meet. And you can say hi to Mrs. Riches. She told me the two of you went out in high school."

"Only a few times, nothing really serious," he said, keeping his voice devoid of emotion. When he'd seen Adrienne Riches across the quad, his heart had skipped a beat. She was as lovely as ever, Mr. Summers couldn't deny it. Or the fact that he still harbored feelings for her, even after close to twenty-five years.

"You two can get reacquainted. She's divorced, you know," she informed her father.

He nodded once again. "Yes, I know the story. Her husband ran out on her, left her with two young children."

"It's awful. And she's been sick with cancer on top of it. Angel's told me everything. He works nonstop to support them and pay off her hospital bills. It's been rough on the whole family."

"He sounds like a good son."

Buffy grinned with pride. She knew her father would love Angel. "He's amazing. Straight-A student, editor of the school paper, hard worker and an all-around great guy. Angel even got accepted at one of the most prestigious creative arts colleges in the country. But he can't go."

"Why not?"

"Can't afford it. He has to go to community college instead. Just wait and see, though. My Angel will be famous. I just know it."

Mr. Summers cocked an eyebrow upward. "Your Angel? How serious is it between you and him? You've only been going out for a few weeks."

"I love him. And he loves me. Does it get more serious than that?"

"Be careful, Buffy." Deep inside, Mr. Summers was worried.

"I am. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

He bent down to kiss his daughter on the cheek. "Have a good time at the party tonight."

"You're leaving already? I thought you wanted to meet Angel." Disappointed filled Buffy's voice.

"Some other time. Invite him over for dinner tomorrow night," he suggested. "We'll have more time to talk then."

"You mean, more time to give him the third degree?" she joked.

He smiled. "You know me too well. Have fun tonight and be careful."

"I always am, Dad. You do the same."

She watched unhappily as her father left the campus. Something was amiss with him, Buffy could tell. It wasn't like him to be so disinterested in her personal life.

Cordelia caught up with her, grabbing her by the arm. "Buffy, you've got a big problem," she hissed.

Buffy looked at her in confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about, Cordy? What problem?"

"I just overheard Kelley talking to Michelle Blake and Susan Miller. Parker broke up with her yesterday afternoon."

"Why is this a problem for me? I could care less if Kelley and Parker aren't together anymore. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that she's single now. And from what I heard, she's very regretful."

Buffy waved her hand for her friend to continue. "Meaning…?"

"Meaning that she's got her sights set on getting her ex-boyfriend back. You know, your current boyfriend."

"No."

"Yes. Need I remind you that Angel and Kelley were together for three years? They've got a history; one that Kelley Page is looking to repeat." Cordelia sighed. "Maybe you'd better go talk to Angel before she does. Let him know what's going on."

Buffy shook her head. "Nope. I think I've got a better idea. One that will make her think twice before going anywhere near my boyfriend."

Glancing around the crowd of people in the quad, Buffy found Kelley standing ten feet away from Angel and his family. 'Probably waiting for the right time to tell him. Not gonna happen, Kelley,' she thought. She made a beeline for her, plastering a sweet, innocent smile on her face. Tapping the girl on the shoulder, Buffy said, "Hi, Kelley."

Kelley turned around, raising her eyebrows in the process. "Buffy. Hello."

"Can you believe that we went here for four years and never once had a single class together? It's weird."

"Yeah, weird." She eyed Buffy curiously. "What do you want?"

"I heard about you and Parker breaking up. Such a shame."

"Why do you care?"

Buffy smiled. "Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't care. But I found out you want to get back together with Angel. I'm here to tell you to forget it. It's not gonna happen."

"Oh yeah, that's right. You're his rebound girl. I almost forgot about that. My sympathies," Kelley replied coldly.

"You know, at first I thought I really was the rebound girl. That Angel was only with me because he was missing you. But it's been over six weeks; I know he cares for me. Angel's in love with me, he said it himself."

Kelley smirked. "I hate to burst your little bubble, Buffy, but he loves me. We were together for three years. How can six weeks with you compare to that? And you don't think he'll come running back to me with open arms when I tell him that I made a mistake and I want him back? You will be yesterday's news. If I hadn't broken up with him in the first place, you wouldn't even be in the picture. 'Cause in the real world, Angel wouldn't touch you and we both know it."

She didn't let Kelley's words bother her. Buffy believed in Angel's love for her, but she wanted his ex-girlfriend to back off. And she had just the ammunition. "Three years together? Really? That's a long time. But it's quality, not quantity. Angel and I have shared a lot in our time together. It can't even compare to what you two had. Had, Kelley, not have. Deal with it, it's over."

"I was there when his mother went in the hospital and had her surgeries. I stood by his side when they found out the prognosis and I was his shoulder to cry on. I was his first love, the first girl he ever kissed, and I'll be his first everything. *You* deal with it," snapped Kelley.

"Uh-huh. You think so, huh? Maybe you can help me out with this, I always sucked at grammar. Is it considered comedy or irony when I guy dates a girl for three years and refuses to sleep with her, but then makes love to another girl after only three weeks with her?" Buffy asked.

The question took Kelley by surprise. "No…"

"Yes. If only you'd waited a couple more weeks, you could have been his first. You could have gotten what you wanted from him. But you just couldn't wait, could you? Looks like your loss is my incredible gain."

"You…had sex with him?" she asked incredulously.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it sex. Angel and I made love. Several times. There's a difference between sex and making love. But yeah, technically we had sex. After the Prom."

"He…never…he wouldn't do that. Not with you and *not* after only three weeks."

"Do you want details, Kelley? Should I tell you what Angel likes? What he can do? What he makes me feel? How much stamina he has?" Buffy enjoyed seeing the look of horror on Kelley's face.

"You're lying. You're sick."

She raised her eyebrows. "Am I? Then why do you look so scared? You know it's true, so stop denying it. Face it, honey, it's over. Angel has moved on; took things to the next level. Without you. It's me and him now, you don't fit into the picture anywhere. So live with it."

***


	18. Chapter 18

18

"I still don't understand why I have to come here," Melissa complained while she and Angel walked up the driveway towards the Summers' house. "She's your girlfriend. I didn't even want to come in the first place."

Angel sighed. "Quit whining, Missy. If Buffy was nice enough to invite the whole Senior class, the very least you can do is make an appearance. Pretend to have a good time."

"The only reason she did it was to make you happy."

"Don't start," he warned.

Buffy met them when they entered the backyard. It was already crowded; people were milling around in the tents that had been set up, swimming in the pool or relaxing in the hot tub. There were even a few people dancing on the makeshift dance floor in front of the DJ Mr. Summers had hired.

"Hey, you," Buffy said. "I was wondering when you were gonna show."

"Yeah, whatever," Melissa replied, brushing past Buffy, heading for the food.

"She sounds really excited to be here," Buffy commented.

Angel bent down to give his girlfriend a kiss. "It was like pulling teeth to get her to come."

"She didn't have to if she didn't want to."

"No, I told her she had to. She can grin and bear it," he told her.

"Did you bring you swim suit like I told you to?" she asked.

"It's in my car."

"Why don't you go get it? That way we can skip the formalities and head straight for the hot tub," she said.

He grinned. "I'll be there in a couple minutes."

Buffy made her way to the hot tub, which had been left empty after the previous occupants had decided to go swimming. Discarding her black skirt and emerald green blouse, she slipped into the warm water wearing a conservative black two-piece bathing suit. The water reached her neck when she sat down and she dunked her head underneath to wet her hair.

Five minutes later, Angel joined her, wearing a pair of red trunks. Her eyes gazed hungrily at his body, filled with both lust and love for him. He sat down across from her.

"Sorry it took me so long," he apologized. "I stopped to say hi to a few people."

"No need to apologize. It's a party, you're supposed to socialize."

"Then why are we in the hot tub by ourselves instead of being out there socializing?" Angel asked jokingly.

She moved to sit next to him. "We are socializing. With each other. Besides, when I'm with you, it's like there's nobody else around. It's as if we are the only two people in the world. Is that crazy?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. That's exactly how I feel."

***

They remained in the hot tub for an hour, ignoring the other people at the party. Buffy broke the passionate embrace they were sharing.

"Maybe we should be doing this somewhere else," she suggested.

Angel nodded his head. "Yeah, we probably should."

"Everyone's watching us. Not to mention, I feel like a prune. My skin is all wrinkly."

He stood up, stepped out of the water and then offered his hand to Buffy to help her out of the hot tub. "I'll get dried off and changed in the bath house."

"I have to fix my hair, so I'll go inside. I know it looks awful. Just come upstairs to my bedroom whenever you're ready. For some alone time."

"I'll be there."

Angel headed for the bath house, passing by his sister along the way. "You and Buffy were certainly in the water for a long time," Melissa said in an accusatory tone.

"Yeah, so?"

"Nothing. I couldn't help but wonder what you two were doing."

He scowled at her. "Mind your own business."

"Meow. You'd better watch it, Angel. Your girlfriend's bitchy personality is starting to rub off on you."

Shaking his head, Angel walked away from Melissa. He simply wasn't in the mood to argue with her. Instead, he walked to the bath house to change back into his pants and shirt. It took him only five minutes to dry himself off and get dressed again. When he exited the building, he found Kelley standing outside the door waiting for him.

"Hi, Angel," she said shyly.

He smiled politely at her. "Hey."

"How are you?"

"Good. How are you?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Been better, I guess. Can you believe we made it through four years of high school?"

"Four years? I never thought I would make it."

"Here we are, though. We graduated."

"Yep."

He was all set to end the conversation there, but Kelley continued talking. "Angel, I…I made a big mistake."

"What do you mean?"

Kelley sighed. "Parker and I broke up. He said I cared more about you and your feelings than I did about him. And he was completely right. I never stopped caring about you."

Angel didn't know what to say. "Okay…"

"Look, I know what I did to you was unfair. I only left you because I thought I needed more in our relationship; I needed a physical tie to you in addition to the emotional one. Parker provided that physical tie that I craved. But it wasn't emotional. It wasn't the same as being with you. It was nice, don't get me wrong. It just wasn't enough."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Which brings me to why I'm here. Angel, I want a second chance. I promise to be honest and faithful this time around. No screwing around behind your back."

He shook his head. "It's too late, Kelley."

"No," she argued. "It's not too late. I admit it, I made a mistake. Everybody makes them. After all we've been through, how can you say no?"

"I moved on. What you and I had is over, you said that yourself when you dumped me for Parker."

"And I told you that I was wrong. I need you; we can work past it."

"No we can't. I'm with Buffy, remember?"

Kelley frowned. "Like that's going to last. She'll be bored with you in another month. The girl only wants you for your body; what you can do with it and what you can make her feel with it."

"Where did you get that from? My sister?" he accused, narrowing his chocolate brown eyes.

"I know you slept with her, and that's understandable. You were on the rebound and afraid you'd never have a chance to be with anyone. Angel, I'll wait another three years to be with you like that if I have to. All I'm asking for is another chance. We can start over from the beginning. Please," she begged.

"No," Angel repeated. "I'm with Buffy. I'm in love with her, don't you understand that? You and I are over. And I am sorry if that hurts you in any way, but you'll just have to accept it."

***

Buffy was standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom when a knock sounded at her door. "Who is it?" she asked.

"Me" was the reply.

She opened the door, seeing Angel on the other side. "What took you so long?" she wanted to know.

"I kept getting sidetracked," he answered, stepping into the room and closing the door. "First my sister, then Kelley."

"Oh. I thought maybe you changed your mind or something."

"And turn down the chance for some quality alone time with you? Not a chance." The first few bars of a slow song entered the room. "May I have this dance?"

She nodded and slipped comfortably into his embrace. "All of them forever."

_//I try but I can't seem to get myself  
to think of anything but you  
Your breath on my face, your warm  
gentle kiss I taste the truth  
I taste the truth  
You know what I came here for  
So I won't ask for more _

_I wanna be with you  
If only for tonight  
To be the one who's in your arms  
to hold you tight  
I wanna be with you  
There's nothing more to say  
There's nothing else I want more  
than to feel this way  
I wanna be with you.\\_

"Angel, I have to tell you something," Buffy started. "And you're probably going to be really angry with me."

"Why? What happened?" he asked her. "What did you do?"

"Something really stupid. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that I look back on it, it was a mistake."

She was the second person to say that to him that day. It made Angel feel uneasy. "Just tell me what happened, Buffy."

She took a deep breath. "After graduation this evening, Cordelia told me that Parker and Kelley broke up. And I was nervous and afraid that she wanted you back in her life. Cordy said she was telling everyone she was going to get you back. So…I sort of had a talk with Kelley. I wanted her to stay away from you and I ended up telling her what we did. Angel, I told her we slept together. God, I rubbed it in her face. I shouldn't have said anything, but I couldn't help it. Now you're probably going to hate me."

_//So I'll hold you tonight like I would  
if you were mine to hold forevermore  
And I'll savor each touch that I  
wanted so much to feel before, to feel before  
How beautiful it is  
Just to be like this _

_I wanna be with you  
If only for tonight  
To be the one who's in your arms  
to hold you tight  
I wanna be with you  
There's nothing more to say  
There's nothing else I want more  
than to feel this way  
I wanna be with you.\\_

Angel rested his chin on top of her head and laughed softly at her admission. "It's okay. I'm not angry with you and I certainly don't hate you."

"But I told her something very private about you and me. And I did it to piss her off. I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Losing you."

He lifted her head up to look her in the eye. "You're not going to lose me. How can you even think that, Buffy? I love you."

"You loved Kelley. You were with her for three years."

"And she broke my heart. I was miserable when we broke up. I wasn't going to put myself through that pain again by going back to her. And I would never hurt you like that. Didn't I tell you that I feel more strongly for you than I ever did for her? You should trust that."

Buffy nodded. "I do. You guys went through so much together; there's a deep-rooted history that we just don't have."

"We will. Just because Kelley and I have a history doesn't mean I want to repeat it. Despite everything she and I went through, we didn't make it. Going through hell doesn't mean a couple is destined to be together. I want you, Buffy, not Kelley."

"Really?"

Nodding, Angel leaned down to kiss her. She held on to him, determined not to let go. Buffy felt so secure in his arms, in his loving embrace and, importantly, in his love. They were destined for one another; everything they'd go through, they'd go through it together. Buffy intended on spending the rest of her life with Angel, making him happy.

Angel backed up, leading her to the bed. The two of them fell backwards onto the mattress and laughed. "Guess that got a little out of control, didn't it?" he said.

"Just a little." She leaned her head under his chin. "Would you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Don't leave me. Stay with me forever."

He stroked her long blonde hair. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes. I want to be with you. Like that song said."

"I'll never leave you, then. You have my word. Wild horses couldn't drag me away."

Buffy planted a kiss on his adam's apple, trailing along the side of his neck. Her right hand unbuttoned his shirt, then pulled it to either side of his chest. She moved her lips downward, her kisses blanketing his exposed skin.

"Buffy, what are you doing?"

"Shh," she replied. "Don't talk, just feel."

She continued to kiss him and Angel closed his eyes at the feeling of her lips on his skin. But he quickly opened them when she began to unbuckle his belt.

"Okay, we should *definitely* stop now," he told Buffy.

"Why?"

"There's one hundred and fifty people downstairs."

"So?" she asked. "Nobody misses us."

Angel sighed. "What if someone comes in here and catches us having sex?"

"They won't. Because we won't be having sex."

"Buffy-"

"Angel, trust me. Just lay back and enjoy."

***

Half an hour later, Melissa ran up to Willow, who was sitting in one of the tents with Oz. "Will, have you seen my brother anywhere? I haven't seen him since he and Buffy got out of the hot tub."

Willow shook her head. "Sorry, Melissa. I haven't seen him. Did you check the pool?"

"I checked everywhere! I can't find him."

"He went in the house about forty-five minutes ago," Anya informed her. "He's probably with his girlfriend." She didn't hide the bitterness from her voice; Anya was still upset that Angel had gone to the Prom with Buffy rather than with her.

"Wonderful," Melissa muttered.

Weaving her way around the people along her path, she made her way inside the house. He wasn't anywhere to be found on the first floor. 'Great. Angel's with her. In her bedroom, more than likely having sex with her. I'm never going to get home now,' she thought.

She knocked on every door until she heard Buffy answer, "Who's there?"

"It's Melissa. Put your clothes back on and open the door, Angel!"

The door opened almost immediately and she was faced with a very angry, yet fully clothed Angel. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"I want to go home."

"Why are you acting like this?"

"I'm bored. Take me home. I'll be waiting by the car." She turned on her heel and headed back downstairs.

He sighed with aggravation when he turned towards Buffy. "Looks like I have to go."

"Are you going to come back?" Buffy wanted to know. "I still haven't given you your present yet."

"If you want me to, I will."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You know I do," she said. "Stay here tonight."

"I don't know if I can."

"Please? I don't want to be alone tonight in this big house. Spend the night with me. I'll make it worth your while."

Angel smiled down at her. "I'll do my best. See you in a little bit."

***


	19. Chapter 19

19

"We're back!" Melissa announced when she and Angel stepped into their mother's room.

"Was Buffy's party fun?" asked Mrs. Riches from the bed. She had been laying down watching television when her children came home.

"Eh. It was okay. Glad to be home, though."

Mrs. Riches smiled. "I'm surprised you two are home so early. It's graduation night, you should be out partying. That's what I did."

"I'm not a big party person."

Angel entered the room. He had quietly sneaked out to pack a change of clothes into an overnight bag. "You doing okay, Mom?"

"Fine. You don't need to constantly worry about me, Angel. How come you left so early? I figured you wouldn't be home for a few more hours."

"Missy wanted to come home, so I drove her. But I am going back to the party," Angel explained.

Melissa eyed the bag in her brother's hand. "What's that for?" she questioned, pointing to the bag.

"Buffy asked me to stay overnight. Is that okay with you, Mom?"

"Go right ahead. Have a good time."

"Thanks."

From several feet away, Melissa's jaw fell agape. "I don't believe it! Mom, how can you do that?"

"He's eighteen years old. Your brother can do whatever he wants," their mother reasoned.

"It's not like I never spent the night with her before, Melissa," Angel reminded her. "Remember? She and I spent three whole nights together after the Prom."

"Yes, and do you remember what happened then? You ended up having sex with her!" she shouted.

"That's my business, not yours."

"Mom, how can you allow that? Angel's only going over there so he can sleep with her," Melissa whined to her mother.

Their mother took a deep breath. "Melissa, leave the room so I can speak to Angel in private."

She did as her mother told her to. Smirking evilly at her brother, Melissa closed the door behind her. "Mom, she's exaggerating," Angel said.

"Is what she said true? About the weekend after Prom, I mean?"

Slowly, he nodded his head. "Yes."

"You and Buffy…you slept together?"

Again, he nodded. "Yes. I love her, Mom. And she loves me. I never would have let things go as far as they have if I didn't feel that way about her."

"The two of you have only been together for a short time," Mrs. Riches observed. "A little over a month."

"I was with Kelley for three years. It never happened with her. I am in love with Buffy. Can't you trust my judgement?"

"Are you being careful, at least?"

"Very careful. Mom, you know me. I wouldn't have slept with her if I didn't have every intention of spending the rest of my life with her. I'm noble and old-fashioned, remember? You brought me up to be that way. I respect her."

She smiled. "I know; you're a good boy, Angel. Just promise me that if something happens and you two get in trouble, you won't leave her to face it by herself."

He kissed his mother on the cheek. "You know I'd never do something like that. I don't run away when things get too rough, like Dad did. I'll be there every step of the way for her if something should happen. I hope that puts your mind at ease."

"It does. Just please be careful."

"I always am."

***

"Go on, open your present first," Buffy ordered Angel. It was two hours later and they sat facing each other on the bed. All the partygoers had left twenty minutes earlier.

He opened the heavy box his girlfriend had handed to him. "I'm afraid to open it," he said with a smile. "What on earth did you get me?"

"Like I said, open it and find out."

Angel pulled out a laptop computer and stared at it for ten seconds before he even blinked. "Buffy, this is way too expensive. You really shouldn't have."

"I wanted to. The computer you have at your house is an Apple IIE. It was time for an upgrade," she said. "It has everything you can possibly imagine, and a state-of-the-art word processing program for the Great American Novel you're going to write."

He shook his head in utter amazement. "This is the best present anyone's ever given to me. Thank you so much."

"Just remember to mention me when you write that novel."

"It'll be dedicated to you." He handed her a small box in silver paper. "This is for you. I'm sorry I couldn't have bought you something nicer."

Carefully, Buffy ripped away the wrapping paper, then opened the box. Inside sat a white gold claddagh ring. "It's beautiful. I love it."

"The ring has a legend to it," he informed her. "I was so busy this past week working on my speech that I never got around to look into it."

Buffy put the ring on her left hand. She knew what the ring symbolized; her mother had one and had explained the lore behind it. The claddagh was the Irish wedding band. The gift filled her heart with joy. "Thank you. I'll never take it off."

"I got you one more thing. It's not a present, really. It is a poem I wrote for you."

He picked up the frame it had been sealed in and began to read the poem. _"My Beloved." _

_"What are the right words to express how much I love you? _

_Love can have so many different meanings. _

_It can mean the love of a mother to a child, trying to protect her young from harm. _

_It can mean the love of a friend who's always there in your life, during your trials and tribulations. _

_It can mean the love of a woman to a man, and how she fills him completely in every way imaginable. _

_My beloved, that is what you do to me. _

_When you enter the room, the sight of you sends shivers down my spine to the very inner core of my body. _

_When you flash that big bright smile of yours that exudes happiness and joy, both of which you bring into my life. _

_When you say the words I love you, I feel this part of my heart that was once empty and hollow being filled by those three little words over and over again until my heart is complete and whole. _

_When you kiss me with your sweet luscious lips; I can never get enough of that sweet taste that is uniquely yours, showing me every way in which you love me. _

_When we make love, I feel that we are intertwined as one. _

_There is no beginning or end; it's just us; not you or me, but us. _

_Loving a woman like you has shown me, opened my eyes to new ideas. _

_You never judged me for my ideas or actions or opinions; you simply loved and accepted me. _

_If there is one thing I wish for, my beloved, it is an eternity with you by my side. _

_My beloved, you are my everything. _

_My beloved, I am fire and you are ice. _

_Our love and passion together douse the flames and leave behind a cool river flowing endlessly like our love. _

_My beloved, our love is eternal. _

_No matter where I'll be, my beloved, you'll always be in my beating heart until my very last breath. _

_My beloved, you mean so much to me. _

_No matter what words I may use to express my feelings for you, they will never be enough; nothing will ever be enough. _

_I love you forever, my beloved."_

Angel looked up from the poem he'd just read. "Well? What did you think?"

Tears fell down her cheeks. "Angel, that was beautiful. You really wrote that for me?"

He wiped the tears away with his fingers. "Yes. About you and me. I love you, Buffy, and I meant every word I wrote."

"You want to spend eternity with me?" she asked, sniffling.

He nodded. "Yes, I do."

She threw her arms around him, tenderly kissing him on the lips. "Me, too."

Their kiss deepened and they fell back on the bed.

***

Some hours later, Buffy and Angel lay on their sides on her bed, facing each other. Both were exhausted after having spent their passion for one another.

"Angel?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah?"

"I-I was just thinking about something. And I wanted to know what you thought about it, or even if you have thought about it."

"Thought about what?" Angel wanted to know.

She gave him a small, shy smile. "I don't know why I was thinking about this; maybe it has something to do with your speech at graduation. Have you ever given any thought to having children? Do you want them?"

"I guess so. Who doesn't?"

"Would you prefer a girl or a boy?"

Angel eyed her suspiciously. "Buffy, are you trying to tell me something?" Fear gripped his heart at the possibility of her being pregnant. He'd promised his mother that he would be careful and he knew that it would disappoint her if something happened. "Are you…?"

She shook her head. "No, don't worry. Everything is fine. I was just wondering. See, I always imagined having a son. A little boy who'd look exactly like his father."

"Why not a daughter?" he questioned.

"I'm too afraid she'd end up looking like me. Being all awkward and gawky and ugly. And then end up being teased and tormented like I was."

"You're beautiful, Buffy. Don't be so hard on yourself. Everyone goes through one of those stages."

"Sure. You never did," she muttered under her breath. "What about you? Have you ever wondered about kids? What they'd look like, that kind of thing."

Angel grinned. "Not until recently. But I think I'd want a daughter. I'd spoil her rotten and treat her like the little princess she is. And unlike you, I want her to look like her mother. With big green eyes and hair the color of spun gold. She'll be a beauty, just like you are."

"Me?" she asked incredulously. "Why me?"

"Well, I sort of assumed you would be her mother. The mother of all my children. That is, if you'd even want to have any with me."

Joy filled her heart like never before. He wanted to have a family with her. "Would I? Angel, do you have to ask? Of course I do. It's all I've ever dreamed of and wanted since, like, forever. I love you and I want to share everything with you. Absolutely everything; the good, the bad, having children, growing old with you and all that stuff. Nothing is ever going to change that."

He smiled at her response. "Good."

Angel propped himself up on one arm, using the other one to push her back to the bed. Bending his head down, he captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Buffy tangled her fingers in his soft brown hair, holding him to her. His tongue delved into her mouth, running over her own, caressing the roof of her mouth. Moaning his name, she pulled him even closer; then, using all her strength, she flipped them over so that she lay on top of him.

Slipping his hands under the blanket that covered them, Angel ran them over the silky skin of her back. He loved to touch her, and was filled with joy from the fact that he would be the only man to do so for the rest of her life. Removing his left hand from her, he reached over into the nightstand drawer for the necessary protection they would need.

Buffy put her hand over his. "Angel, no. Not now."

"Why not?" he asked, confusion glinting in his eyes. "I thought you wanted to do this."

She smiled at him. "I do, believe me I do. But I'm so tired right now. I only wanted to kiss you, to feel you touch me. It wouldn't be much fun for either of us if I was just lying there."

"I could make it fun," Angel teased.

"Yeah, I'm sure you could. Please, Angel, let's go to sleep."

"If that's what you want, okay."

She frowned. "You're mad at me, aren't you?"

"No, not at all. It's been a long day for both of us. I completely understand. I just thought you'd want to do it one more time before we went to sleep. It might have helped you fall asleep."

"I'm too sleepy. I can't even form a coherent thought right now," Buffy explained. "Besides, I'll sleep fine as long as you're next to me."

"Okay. We'll go to sleep." Angel scooped her into his arms, turning them so that they lay on their sides, her back pressed against his chest. He nuzzled her neck with his nose.

She closed her eyes, unable to keep them open any longer. It seemed as if she fell right to sleep when she was wrapped in Angel's embrace. "I don't think I told you how much I loved your speech at graduation."

"Thank you. I worked really hard on it."

"Yeah, I know. And it was sweet and thought-provoking and poignant all at the same time. I was so proud. You have an amazing creative ability; I told my dad today that you're going to be a famous writer someday."

"It's nice that one of us has confidence in that."

Buffy rubbed her hands along his arms, which held her about the waist. "Don't be so self-effacing. It'll happen, I know it will. Just give it some time."

***

Mr. Summers pulled into the driveway at quarter after nine the following morning. He gazed curiously at the green Ford Taurus parked behind his daughter's Pontiac Grand Am. 'Who is here?' he wondered. It wasn't Cordelia or Harmony's car, that he knew for a fact. 'Someone must have left their car here last night. Oh well.'

The house was silent when he entered, which wasn't all that surprising to him. Buffy didn't usually wake up until ten or eleven on her days off, and he imagined her sleeping even later because of the party. But Mr. Summers was eager to give her her graduation present. A week earlier, he'd purchased a brand new car for her, and he couldn't wait to see the expression on Buffy's face when she saw it.

He headed up the stairs to her bedroom and paused before entering. With a smile on his lips, Mr. Summers opened the door. The sight before him was something he had not been prepared for: his daughter laying asleep in the arms of the man he recognized as her boyfriend, Angel. It was apparent to him what had been going on the previous night.

"Buffy Anne Summers! What the hell is going on here?" he demanded, unable to control the anger and outrage in his voice.

She awoke with a start upon hearing her father's voice. "Dad! Oh my god!" Buffy clutched the blanket to her naked body.

Next to her, Angel roused from his peaceful slumber. "Buffy? Why are you shouting? Who are you talking to?" he asked with a yawn. Looking at the doorway, he saw her father. Gulping, he said, "Mr. Summers."

When he didn't say anything in reply, Buffy took the opportunity. "Dad, I can totally explain this."

"Downstairs. Five minutes. Fully dressed," he ordered, his face turning red. "Alone, young lady. I want him out of this house."

***


	20. Chapter 20

20

The two of them quickly climbed out of bed when Mr. Summers left the room. Buffy wrapped the bedsheet under her arms while Angel wrapped the comforter about his waist. When he looked at her, he noticed that her lower lip was trembling.

From behind her, Angel put his arms around her upper arms, wrapping her in his embrace. "I'm so sorry, Buffy," he apologized. "I never wanted to get you in any trouble with you father."

Buffy closed her eyes as if in pain. "This isn't your fault. It's mine. I-I never should have made you stay over. I knew my dad would be coming home in the morning. It's all my fault."

"Everything'll be okay."

"My dad was really angry. Angel, I've never seen him so pissed off in my entire life. It frightened me."

"He just found you in bed with your boyfriend. I can't imagine any parent being too happy about that. I know my mom wouldn't be thrilled if it had been her."

She shook her head. "This is different. Your mom knows about us, you told her everything. God, you can tell her anything and she will trust you and your judgement. Things aren't like that for me and my father. It's the complete opposite for us."

"Just explain it to him and I'm sure he'll understand. I'll even come with you if you want, for moral support."

"Thanks for the offer," she said, turning around to face him. "But I have to do this on my own."

Angel nodded. "Okay. Like I said before, everything will be just fine."

***

With a tentative breath, Buffy stepped into her father's study. He was sitting in his leather swivel chair, looking out the window, watching the sun play on the wet grass.

"Is he gone?" Mr. Summers asked without turning around.

"Yes. Angel just left a minute ago. Dad, I can explain -"

Turning the chair, he glared at her. "Don't. I have a pretty good idea of what went on up there. You were in bed with a boy you've only been dating for a little over a month."

"I know how disappointed you must be…"

"Disappointed? You could certainly say that, yes. I am quite disappointed. Frankly, I would have expected more from you." He took a sip of coffee. "I thank God your mother isn't alive to see this."

"Mom would have understood. She wouldn't have thrown Angel out on his ass like you did," Buffy said, tears stinging her eyes. "She would have been fine with it. I know she would have."

"You don't think she would've been upset? Joyce is probably turning over in her grave as we speak, wondering where we went wrong with you."

She couldn't believe her father was saying such things to her. "Where you went wrong?" she repeated. "Nothing's wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine, perfectly normal."

"So, you consider it normal to be having sex with a boy you've hardly known for a month?" he asked, with a sharp edge to his voice.

"I've known him my entire life! And I've loved him for just as long. You can stop it with the sex lecture, Dad. I've already had it. Mom told me that I should wait until I find the man I want to be with forever, the man I love. Well, I love Angel! And he loves me."

"I always expected better from you, I thought you had much better taste in men. It's almost shameful what you're doing."

She didn't understand what her father was saying. "Shameful? What am I doing that's so shameful to you?"

"You should be with someone better, Buffy. You should be with a young man who can provide a stable life for you, give you what you need. A man with means," Mr. Summers informed her.

"A man with means…you mean a man with money?" she accused. "You think I care about that? I don't. All the guys at Sunnydale High whose parents have money have egos bigger than the state of Texas. They're rude and snobby and sick; they're only after one thing and I'm not about to give it to them. Angel may not have any money, but he loves me. He knows how to treat me, and that means more to me than any dollar amount. He's a bigger, better person than any of those so-called rich high school boys could ever hope to be.

"Angel works hard to get what he wants. He supports his sick mother and twin sister by working for *you* forty hours a week. He gave up going to an Ivy League college so he could stay at home and take care of them. It's called substance, Dad, and he has a lot of it. How can you say that I shouldn't be with someone like him? He's what parents dream of. He's what I dream of."

"Someone like him will only end up hurting you."

Buffy blinked. "How? And what do you mean by 'someone like him'?"

"I suppose you already know about Luke Riches."

She nodded her head. "Yes. Angel told me about his father. He left them when Angel and Melissa were only ten. What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"It's been my experience that, in cases such as this, the apple never falls far from the tree." Mr. Summers took another sip of his coffee. "Angel will do the same thing to you that his father did to Adrienne…his mother. He'll leave you broke, with children to care for. His children."

"Angel would never do that. He's nothing like his father, he hates his father for what he's done to that family," she told him. "How can you call yourself my father and say those things about the man I love? Haven't you ever been in love? So deeply in love where you didn't know where you ended and she began? That's how I feel when I'm with Angel."

He fell into his memories at his daughter's words. A face formed in his mind's eye: a beautiful young woman with long, curly dark brown hair and deep chocolate eyes, and a smile that filled his heart with love when he had been Buffy's age. A smile that still filled his heart even to that day. "Of course I've been in love like that. But that's not what you're feeling."

"How do you know what I'm feeling? You never take the time to find out."

"You are trying to defy me by dating someone you know I would never approve of; by doing things with him you shouldn't be doing. If you wanted my attention, Buffy, you have it now. End this game you're playing."

"This isn't a game. I love him and he loves me. I don't care if you don't approve, I wasn't asking for your approval."

"You have to stop this before you get hurt. That boy will only hurt you. Mark my words, young lady."

***

Angel was worried. It was four o'clock and he still had not yet heard from Buffy. He hoped everything was okay and that her father hadn't come down too hard on her. 'I'll call her after work and make sure she's handling everything fine,' he decided.

When he stepped behind his register, Jason McKenzie walked up to him. "You're wanted upstairs in the office, Angel. I'd suggest you go now."

"Who wants to see me?" Angel wanted to know.

"Mr. Summers," Jason said. "Man, what did you do? He never asks to see the employees. You must have done something big."

He shook his head. "You don't want to know."

His heart beating nervously, Angel ascended the stairs to the owner's office. Pausing for a brief moment, he knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Mr. Summers called.

Angel entered, closing the door behind him. He tried his hardest not to look like a scared puppy, but he doubted he was doing a good job at hiding his fear and apprehension. "You wanted to see me, Mr. Summers?"

"Yes, I did. Please have a seat, Angel. You and I need to have talk. It's about your relationship with my daughter."


	21. Chapter 21

21

"Cordy, it was awful!" Buffy exclaimed when she called her best friend that night after her father left for work at the department store. "He came in and found me and Angel in bed and totally flipped out on us!"

"Well, can you really blame him?" Cordelia asked. "He did catch you in bed with your boyfriend."

"Yes, I can blame him! He didn't have to throw Angel out. God, he practically told him to leave and never come back. Poor Angel barely had enough time to get dressed when he left."

On the other end of the phone, her best friend smiled at the mental image. "Now there's a picture. Your boyfriend running out of your house clad only in a thin little sheet. What I wouldn't give to see that!"

Buffy groaned. "That's not funny. You're not exactly helping me here."

"I'm sorry. What did your dad say when you two talked? Did he tell you that you can't see Angel anymore?" she wanted to know.

"Not really…well, not exactly, anyway. Dad said that I disappointed him and that I was shaming him and our family by being with Angel. No matter how many good things I said about Angel, all my dad could seem to remember was how poor he is and that his dad left his mom. Nothing else mattered. He's so stubborn!"

"And your father thinks he'll do the same thing to you," surmised Cordelia.

"Exactly!" Buffy agreed. "But Angel wouldn't do that. I know him. I mean, he and I talked about the future last night and about children. And he wants to have them with me. Cordy, he even gave me a ring as a graduation present. A claddagh ring."

She raised her eyebrows. "Isn't that considered a wedding band in Ireland?"

"Yes. I don't know if he realized it, I don't think he did. But do you know what it means? He and I are married!"

"Buff, I think you might be jumping the gun a little there. I know you love Angel and you want to be with him, but think about it. Seriously think about it. You've only been together for a month. Maybe you're getting too attached too quickly."

"Not you, too. You sound just like Dad. I've been in love with Angel for thirteen years, and now that I finally have him, I'm never letting him go. Come hell or high water, we'll be with each other forever."

***

Cautiously, Angel sat down in the chair opposite Mr. Summers' desk. He knew it wasn't a friendly, let's-get-to-know-my-daughter's-boyfriend visit. And that left him more than a little frightened.

"Mr. Summers," he began, "I'd like to apologize for what you saw this morning. I never would have stayed overnight if I'd known that could happen."

"Obviously," Buffy's father replied. "I don't think I need to tell you how concerned I am about the rather rapid progression of things between you and my daughter."

Angel looked down. "No, you don't. Buffy and I have only been together for a short time, I'm very well-aware of that. But we love each other, sir."

"You don't need to call me sir. Your family and I go way back. I knew both of your parents when we were only in high school, and your mother and I dated for several weeks until we graduated and I left town for the army. But you knew that already, didn't you, Angel?" he asked. "That your mother and I were a couple, that is."

"Not until recently when my mother met Buffy for the first time."

"I cared very much for Adrienne, I still do. Although, I have to say, your father was never my favorite person, particularly after he married your mother and then abandoned your family."

"Welcome to the club," muttered Angel.

Mr. Summers scrutinized the young man sitting across from him. "You look like Luke did when he was eighteen. Handsome, strong-boned, almost the same hair and eye color. It's no wonder my daughter is so enchanted with you. I certainly hope that you haven't inherited his less-appealing personality traits along with his looks."

"No, I haven't. I'm nothing like my father and I never hope to be." He took a deep breath. "Look, Mr. Summers, I don't want to sound rude or anything, but is there a point to all this? Why did you ask me to come up here? I get the feeling it wasn't to relive your past with my parents."

"How is your mother, by the way? Doing well, I hope," questioned the older man. "I know how sick she's been."

"She's doing fine." Angel paused for a moment, a thought entering his mind when Mr. Summers brought up his mother. There was something written on his face, almost a look of longing. "I certainly hope you're not about to tell me something really disgusting, like you're my real father and not Luke Riches."

With a small, amused smile playing on his lips, Mr. Summers replied, "No, I'm not your father." 'Although if I'd had the chance…' "Your mother and I were never together like that. Besides, you look too much like Luke to be my son. Your sister as well, from what I saw at the graduation ceremony yesterday afternoon."

Unnecessarily, Angel sighed with relief. "My sister's soap operas must be rubbing off on me. I apologize for my little outburst. It was uncalled for."

"It's perfectly fine. Buffy was singing your praises when she and I spoke earlier this morning. She told me how hard you work to support your family, how intelligent you are and that you'd been accepted to several Ivy League universities."

Angel nodded sheepishly. "Just two Ivy League schools."

"Still, an admirable feat. You seem to have a sensible head on your shoulders, and I respect that." He reached into the top drawer of his desk, pulling out a rectangular-shaped piece of paper. He held it up for Angel to see. "Do you know what this is, Angel?"

"It looks like a check."

"Very good. But not just any check. It's a check for three million dollars. Made out in your name."

He didn't quite understand. "Why?"

"Because it's for you. Under one condition."

"What's the condition?" Angel wanted to know. He'd had the feeling that there was stipulation to it. Nothing was free, he understood that.

"That you never see my daughter again."

***

Angel wasn't sure if he'd heard Mr. Summers correctly; he thought his ears were playing tricks on him. "Excuse me? What did you say?" he asked.

"The three million dollars is yours, provided you no longer maintain contact with my daughter. It's as simple as that."

"I don't get it. Why?"

Mr. Summer sighed. "I mean nothing personal against you, Angel. You seem like a very nice young man. It's just that…well, I always pictured my Buffy with somebody different. A man with a better status in society, if you know what I mean. Someone who can provide for her and give her the life she deserves; the life she is accustomed to. You should be able to understand that."

'Better than you think. I know exactly what you're getting at,' thought Angel. "What you're doing is paying me off. Hush money."

"No, not at all. I know how much you mean to my little girl, and how much this money would mean to you."

"Do you honestly believe that I can be bought? That you can just hand me a check for three million dollars and I'll get out of Buffy's life?"

"As I said before, the three million is yours. I'm willing to make it very worth your while if you agree."

Angel narrowed his eyes. "I don't want your money."

"Buffy told me yesterday how smart you are, and as the class Valedictorian, I can see how you got into so many good colleges. And I'll see to it that you attend the one of your choice."

"I already told you, Mr. Summers, I don't want your money. I have no need for it."

"But there, young man, you are wrong. I happen to know just how much you need that money. There're your mother's medical bills, which I assume are outrageous; the house, the bills for it, etc.. Think about what I'm offering you. It's the chance to be out of debt."

"No." Angel refused to be bought. "I love Buffy. Money won't make me go away."

Shaking his head, Mr. Summers proceeded. "If you love my daughter as much as you claim to, you'll let her have the life she deserves. Leave her alone. I am offering you the chance of a lifetime here. Three million dollars; I will take care of all of your college bills, books, tuition, dorming expenses and whatnot. Your mother's medical bills will be paid in full for as long as need be. I'll even buy out the mortgage on your house so that you'll own it outright. Just think about it, Angel. I'm doing all that for you, and all you have to do is one little thing for me."

Hatred and loathing filled Angel's heart and mind. Who did Hank Summers think he was? "I don't care how much you give me, I'll never leave Buffy," he said through gritted teeth. "I don't need your money. I'm perfectly happy going to Sunnydale Community College next fall, and I can handle maintaining my family's bills just fine on my own. And as for the three million dollars? It's blood money and I refuse to touch it."

"If you love her so much, you'll release your hold on her," Mr. Summers said. "And it's not blood money. Think of all the good you can do with this money. You and your family can be financially secure for the rest of your life. How can you say no to that?"

"My family and I are getting along just fine with the amount of money I'm making here."

"This could change your life," he pointed out. "How can you say no to something like this without even talking it over with your mother and sister? Shouldn't they have a say in it?"

Angel shook his head. The man obviously didn't get it. Yes, the money would be helpful, but there was a principle behind it. "The answer is still no."

"And as wonderful as it is to know that you care more about my daughter than you do about money, this isn't a decision you can make in an instant. Talk it over with your family, see how they feel about it. Take twenty-four hours to consider my offer." 'Either way, you'll be out of Buffy's life. I'll see to it.'

"Fine. But the answer will still be no. I guarantee it."

***


	22. Chapter 22

22

Angel returned home from work at nine-thirty, his mind still reeling from Mr. Summers' offer. Three million dollars, fully-paid tuition to the university of his choice, his mother's hospital and doctor bills paid for and complete ownership of his life-long home. All of that in exchange for breaking up with Buffy.

The question remained: could he do it? Angel was positive he couldn't. No, there was no way he could ever give up the girl he loved, no matter how much money was involved.

'But what I can really offer her?' Angel questioned himself. 'Everything Mr. Summers said was true. I can't give her the life she truly deserves. Buffy should be with someone who can give her the world; I can't do that.' He frowned. 'I love her, though. I can give her love. More love than any other man can give.'

"Angel, honey, is everything okay?" his mother asked. When he'd walked through the door, Mrs. Riches noticed a distant look on his face. Like something was plaguing his thoughts.

'Mr. Summers made a good point,' he thought. 'I *should* discuss this with Mom before I do anything. It has as much to do with her and it does with me and Buffy.' "Actually, no, it isn't."

"Did something happen at work? Did you get in trouble?"

He shook his head. "No, nothing like that. I…do you remember how I stayed overnight at Buffy's house last night?"

"Yeah."

"Well…Mr. Summers came home this morning and found out. It was more along the lines of him coming into Buffy's bedroom and finding us there. So, tonight when I got to work, I was called up to his office. He wanted to talk to me about it."

"And I'm assuming Hank wasn't too happy," Mrs. Riches said quietly. "What did he say to you?"

Angel snorted. "He was more pissed off than anything else. We talked. But this is the clincher, Mom. Mr. Summers offered me money if I break up with Buffy."

She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "That doesn't sound like the Hank I know and…well, that just doesn't sound like him."

"I guess this Hank is different from the one you knew back in high school. Because this one isn't above bribery to get what he wants. And what he wants is me out of Buffy's life," Angel told her.

"Exactly how much is he offering you?"

"Three million dollars, my college tuition, the mortgage on this house and all your doctor's bills will be paid from now on. And all I have to do is stop seeing Buffy. He made it sound that easy."

Mrs. Riches didn't reply right away. It was a lot of information for her to process all at once. "That's…wow."

"What should I do, Mom?" he wanted to know. "Should I take the money or tell him to shove it?"

"It's your decision, not mine. I can't tell you what to do."

"But I don't know what to do! I told Mr. Summers that I didn't want the money. Then I started thinking about it, started second-guessing myself. Not from the financial aspect, but from a more reality-based point of view. I can't give Buffy the life she's used to, the life she deserves. What can I give her, besides me?"

She smiled at her son. "Perhaps she doesn't need those things as much as her father thinks she does. Maybe you are enough for her."

"It can't be." Angel bit his lip. "What should I do?"

"I'd say you should talk to Buffy about it. This concerns her, too. She should know what her father is doing."

"You're right, she should know. I have to talk this over with her. I can't just make this big of a decision on my own. Especially when it has to do with her, too."

***

Angel stood on the front porch of the Summers' home, with his finger poised only inches from the doorbell. After some hard thinking the night before, he knew for a fact that he had to tell Buffy what her father had said to him. Taking a deep breath, he rang the doorbell to announce his arrival.

From the bathroom, Buffy heard the chiming of the doorbell. Putting on a robe over her still-damp body, she ran downstairs to find out who it was. Her face broke out in a grin when she found Angel on the other side of the door.

"Hi!" she greeted, throwing her arms around him.

"Hey," Angel replied. He could feel the warmth of her body radiate through the thin robe she was wearing. 'How can I even consider leaving Buffy?' he wondered. 'I don't need money, I just need her.' "Did I come at a bad time?"

She shook her head. "Not really. I was drying myself off after my shower. Thought I'd get up early and get some sun before Passions starts. Come on in."

"Sorry for coming by so early. I didn't know if you'd even be awake, but I needed to talk to you," Angel told her, stepping inside the house.

"It's perfectly okay. I wasn't really expecting to see you until dinner. We're still on, right? That's not why you came, was it? To break out date?"

"Nope. We're still on."

"Great. Do you mind waiting in my room while I finish getting dressed?" Despite their intimate moments together, Buffy still felt shy and self-conscious whenever she was undressed around him.

"No problem."

Angel sat himself down on her bed after she returned to the bathroom. Reaching over onto her nightstand, he picked up the picture taken of them during the Prom. 'If only we'd known, Buffy. Maybe then things wouldn't be as screwed up as they are now.'

"All done," Buffy announced when she entered her bedroom. "Do you want to go outside? We can sit on the back patio and talk out there. It's such a nice day out."

He nodded. "That's fine with me. Lead the way."

Taking a firm hold of Angel's hand, Buffy led him downstairs to the patio. She pulled two lounge chairs into a sunny area and motioned for him to sit down.

"So, what's so important that you came by at ten-thirty in the morning to tell me? It couldn't have waited until later?" Buffy wanted to know.

"It couldn't wait, I had to tell you. It…it's about your father and what happened yesterday morning."

She gazed curiously at him. "My dad? Angel, he and I had a long talk yesterday after you left, and then another one when he got home from work. He understands how I feel and he's okay with it. Dad gave us his blessing. He isn't angry anymore; he knows how in love we are. And he's okay with it."

Solemnly shaking his head, Angel placed his large hand over her smaller one. "No, Buffy, he's not. He doesn't understand. He doesn't even care how we feel."

"What are you talking about?"

"Last night at work, your father called me into his office. He wanted to talk to me about us. And he started saying how you deserve better and that I can't give you what you need."

"You know that isn't true," she reminded him. "All I need is you. Nothing more, nothing less."

He managed a small smile. "I'm glad someone thinks so. Then he brought up my parents, asking how my mom is and telling me about old times. Buffy, I'm going to make a long story short here. Your father offered me three million dollars to break up with you."

Buffy didn't say anything for the longest time. Staring deep into his mesmerizing brown eyes, she burst out laughing. "That's a good one! You really had me going for a minute there. Nice joke, Angel."

"This isn't a joke, Buffy, it's completely true. He'll give me three million dollars, pay my college tuition, pay my mom's medical bills and buy my house if I never see you again. This isn't something I'd ever joke about."

"No. It can't be true. My father would never do something like that," she disagreed. Nothing Angel said sounded like anything her father would do. It didn't make sense to her. He had no reason to say such things.

"I'm sorry. He did."

She stood up. "No! You're lying! He wants me to be happy, and he said he knows you make me happy. Dad would not do that to me."

"Buffy -"

"Get out." She pointed to the driveway. "Go away and don't come back until you apologize for saying that stuff about him. It's all lies."

Angel had figured she wouldn't believe him; he couldn't blame her. He's always been told that blood was thicker than water. "I'm not lying, I swear." He pulled out the check Mr. Summers had given him the night before from his shorts pocket. "Here's the proof if you don't believe me."

Buffy took it from him. She found it hard to breathe when she saw her father's signature on the bottom of the check, which had been made out in Angel's name. "Oh my god," she muttered.

"I thought you should know."

She closed her eyes. "Thank you. I'm sorry for yelling at you like that. I just couldn't imagine my own father doing something that heartless."

"It's okay. I understand. Buffy, he gave me until tonight to make my decision. I told him no from the start. Money doesn't mean anything to me, not like you do. But I at least had to tell you," Angel explained.

"What are you going to do?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm being forced to choose between the woman I love and more money than I know what to do with."

"And?" she prodded.

"And if I had to make the decision on my own, I would tell your father to take that check and shove it up his ass. Love would win out, hands down. But I can't make that decision on my own. I have to make it with you."

"Do you think you can drive me to the store?" she asked.

He lifted his eyebrows in confusion. "Why?"

"Because I need to have a little chat with my father."

***


	23. Chapter 23

23

Mr. Summers looked up from his paperwork when his daughter burst into his office without bothering to knock first. "Sweetie, I wasn't expecting to see you. What's going on?"

"Don't 'sweetie' me, Dad. You know exactly why I'm here. Angel came to see me today; told me all about your conversation with him yesterday. How could you?!" she yelled.

"Now calm down…"

"I will not calm down until you explain! Did you or did you not offer my boyfriend money in exchange for breaking up with me?"

He nodded. "I did. It's an extraordinary opportunity for him. You said it yourself how smart he is. So I offered him the chance to attend any of the universities that he's been accepted to."

"Why? Why would you do it?"

"For you, Buffy."

"I don't get it. Why would you do that, knowing full-well how much it would hurt me?" she demanded. "I love Angel and you're trying to buy him off. What kind of a father are you?"

"One who loves his daughter more than anything in the world. One who doesn't want to see her get hurt."

"Excuse me? What do you mean by that? Angel's not gonna hurt me. We went over this yesterday morning."

"He will. Sooner or later, it'll happen. And I would rather it happen now, before you become too attached to him."

She shook her head in disbelief. "You asshole. I hate you."

"Buffy Anne Summers, don't you take that tone of voice with me," her father warned. "I'm telling you right now, young lady, if Angel says no, and you continue to see him, I will cut you off. You'll be out of my house faster than you can even blink."

"I'm your daughter. You wouldn't do that."

"Yes, I would. Let's see how you like being broke. You think you can survive on love alone? Guess again. I am doing the two of you a favor. Convince your boyfriend to say yes. Things will be much better that way."

"I can't believe you're threatening me."

"I'm not threatening you. I'm giving you options. You're eighteen now, Buffy. I no longer have to provide for you, you're old enough to do that on your own. And if you continue on with this…relationship with Angel Riches, you'll be on your own. No money, no home, no family. Is that understood?" Mr. Summers asked.

Buffy felt defeated. Her father had won; there was no way out. "Fine."

***

"How did it go?" Angel questioned when she climbed back into his car. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Do you still want me to tell you what to do about the money?"

Angel nodded. "Of course I do. It had to do with you just as much as me. I can't make this decision without your input."

She took a tentative breath. "All right. I want you to take the money."

***

Angel blinked several times before saying anything in reply. He'd never expected Buffy to say that he should take her father's money. It had been his assumption that she'd tell him to say no and stay with her. "Did I hear you right, Buffy? You want me to take the money?"

"Yes. When you see my dad tonight, tell him yes."

"Why? What made you decide that?"

Buffy whipped her head around to face him. She hadn't been able to look him in the eye when she gave him her answer. It would have hurt too much to look into the eyes of the man she had loved most of her life and tell him to leave her. "Can we *not* talk about this here? We'll go back to my house and talk there."

He didn't move a muscle. "Did your dad say something? You're upset and being snappy. That's not like you. Something happened, I can tell by the tone of your voice and the look in your eyes."

"I told you, not here. Just take me home, Angel, and I promise to explain everything. I can't talk here."

"Okay," he responded, nodding his head.

They didn't say a word during the ten minute drive back to her house. Angel knew Buffy was upset, but did not want to prod her into talking when she obviously wasn't ready to. Though when he saw the black mascara streaks on her cheeks, caused by her silent tears, he had to force himself to keep driving and not pull off to the side of the road and hold her in his arms.

On the other side of the seat, Buffy sat staring out the window, her mind flashing back to her conversation with her father. 'How could my own father do that to me? Is money all he cares about? Aren't my feelings important to him? And does he honestly believe that he'll be able to keep me and Angel apart? He's dead wrong. Not if I have anything to say about it. He's not going to run my life, he will not keep me from the man I love,' she swore.

Angel held the door open for Buffy as she stepped out of his car, and followed her to the back patio once again. She threw her purse on one of the chairs and grabbed his hand. Together, they began walking through her large backyard. Angel waited patiently for her to speak.

"I'm sorry for not believing you," Buffy apologized when they'd walked only thirty feet.

"It's okay, don't worry about it. I never expected you to believe me over your own father."

She snorted. "Father…ha! No father of mine would have done what he did. It's inexcusable! How can he be the same man my mother fell in love with and married? I don't think they're the same person anymore. They can't be."

"My mother and I said basically the same thing last night after I told her about our conversation," he said.

"Your mom," Buffy stated. "What did she say? What does she want you to do?"

"She said it wasn't her decision to make, that I am old enough to do it on my own. And that I should talk to you first." Angel sighed heavily. "Do you want me to accept your father's offer? Is that really what you want?"

Buffy nodded vigorously. "Yes. Angel, do it. It's the only way…"

"The only way for what? What do you mean by that?"

"It is the only way for us to be together."

"Buffy, what are you talking about? We'll still be together if I say no," he told her. "Which is exactly what I want to tell him. I can't take that money. It's not right."

"No! Dad admitted to everything you said. The money, the house, the tuition, everything. And he told me that if you say no to it, and we keep dating, he'll…he will…"

Angel looked closely at her. "He'll what, Buffy?"

"He'll disown me. I will be kicked out of the house, no money and no family. That's why you have to take it."

"Buffy…" he began.

"Listen to me. My father may be a heartless bastard, but he's the only family I have, the only father I'll ever have. It has absolutely nothing to do with the money he has. I don't care about it. I care about you more than any dollar amount. He doesn't understand that, though."

"I still won't leave you."

Buffy stopped walking. "I have a plan; a way for the two of us to be together. I came up with it on the way out of the store. Say yes to him and take the money. Go to Emerson like you've always wanted to."

"I don't understand you. How can we be together if I'm in Massachusetts and you're three thousand miles away in California? It doesn't make sense," he pointed out.

"Just listen to me for a minute while I explain. You'll go to Emerson College in the fall. I'll attend UC Sunnydale like I've planned, and I will transfer to Boston College for the spring semester. My dad will love it because my mother went there; it'll be like I'm following in her footsteps to him. He'll never suspect a thing. Then our sophomore year, I'm sure Dad will let me get an apartment off campus if I complain enough about the dorm situation. And I'll need a roommate. Think about it, Angel, we'll be on the opposite side of the country from him. You and I will have an apartment together. It's perfect, and he'll never be any the wiser."

He shook his head in amazement. "You have this all figured out, don't you?"

"Pretty much."

"Your father is going to find out, Buffy. And then we're back to square one."

"He'll never find out. And even if he does, I won't care. You'll have your money and everything you've ever wanted. Not to mention, when I turn twenty-one, I will come into my mother's trust fund. Angel, I have it all worked out. We'll be together, we'll be happy, whether my dad approves or not. He may be my family, and my father, but there's no way he can run my life. I won't let him. We'll already be settled into a life there. He can't threaten me with disownment or kick me out of my own home. We just have to wait a little while."

Angel closed his eyes. Despite Buffy's plan, part of him knew it wouldn't work. "I'm sorry, but I just can't do it."

"Then do it for me. I love you more than anything in this world. And I honestly believe that if you love something, you should let it go. I'm letting you go, but only for a couple months. It's your chance to fulfill your dream. You made my life-long dream come true the weekend after Prom, Angel, and now it's my turn to make yours come true. Let me make it come true."

***

At six o'clock that evening, Angel knocked on the door of Mr. Summers' office. A few seconds later, it opened, revealing Jason McKenzie.

"Hey, Angel," he said. "I thought you had tonight off."

"I do. I'm here to talk to Mr. Summers. Is he busy?"

"No, I'm not," Mr. Summers called from inside. "Not too busy to speak to you. Please, come on in, Angel. Jason, may we have some privacy? We have rather private matters to discuss."

Nodding, Jason left the other two men alone. Mr. Summers pointed to a chair, suggesting that Angel have a seat, but he remained standing instead.

"I suppose you are aware that my daughter came by to see me today. Why did you tell her? I thought this was a private matter," the older man wanted to know. "I thought you would have used discretion."

"It affected Buffy, too. I couldn't make an important decision such as this without informing her first. She had to know."

"Fine. Have you decided?"

Angel cast his eyes downward to the ground. "I accept your offer."

Mr. Summers smiled, not noticing the shamed look on Angel's face. 'Now my little girl can be happy. She can have a normal life, now that he'll be out of the picture.' "Very good. You made a wise choice, Angel. I can see that you have a very strong business sense. You'll go far, I'm sure of it."

"I did not do this for me, Mr. Summers. I did this for Buffy. I can't give her what she deserves. And I love her enough to let her go." He used the words Buffy had told him to use; words that would not only impress her father, but would ring true. It had to sound believable.

"Yes, I see that. I admire your honesty in that matter. Let's get straight to business, shall we? You know the terms of our agreement. From this moment on, there is to be no contact between you and Buffy. Neither physical nor on the phone or whatnot. Do not speak to her, write to her or even attempt to contact her in any way. Is that understood? If I find out that you have broken our agreement, all bets are off and I'll take that money away before you have a chance to think about it."

He nodded. "I understand the terms of the agreement."

"Good," Mr. Summers said. "I'll have the papers for the house drawn up and delivered to you in the morning."

As Angel walked out of the building, he thought, 'I certainly hope you know what you're doing, Buffy.'

***


	24. Chapter 24

24

Three weeks later, Angel and Buffy sat on a blanket at the edge of the woods in Weatherly Park. It was a warm, sunny July day, and she had prepared a picnic lunch for them. Turkey sandwiches on white bread, potato chips, macaroni salad and cans of Pepsi.

"You've outdone yourself again," Angel complimented after he had polished off his second sandwich.

She smiled. "Thank you. But you really can't screw up a turkey sandwich. Even a dummy can make it."

"I wouldn't be able to make a grilled cheese sandwich without setting the house on fire," he told her. "My mom and sister are the cooks, not me."

"Sounds like you're going to have to marry a good cook or else you'll starve to death." Buffy paused for a moment. "How's your mom doing? Any better?"

The previous week, Mrs. Riches had been admitted to Sunnydale General Hospital with a fever of one-oh-four. She'd had an allergic reaction to the medications she was on. "Much better, she's back to her old self again. Which means yelling at me and Missy. Actually, she was asking about you yesterday during dinner."

Buffy's face lit up. In the two months since she and Angel had been dating, she'd come to think of Mrs. Riches as a mother-figure, and she loved her as if she were her mother. "Really? She was?"

He nodded his head. "Yep. Mom wanted to know what you've been up to. And how you are handling this arrangement with your father."

"Your mom is so sweet. What did you tell her?"

"I told her you have been relaxing this summer, getting ready for college and whatnot. And as for your father…well, you've been coping really well."

"Yeah, considering that I don't talk to him. It still blows my mind that he did that. It's not fair that you and I can only see each other in secret. I had to tell him I was having lunch with Harmony just so I could come here today."

Angel moved so he sat next to Buffy, then pulled her on his lap, stroking her long hair. "You'll only have to lie to him for another month. Then I'm leaving for Massachusetts."

"A month. That's only four more weeks. And not nearly enough time," she complained.

"Technically, I don't leave for six weeks. August twenty-third at eight a.m.."

"Don't say that, Angel," she chastised him. "Then it sounds so final, so definite. I want this summer to go on forever."

"So do I, my beloved," he agreed.

She rested her back more comfortably against him. "I like it when you call me that. It makes me feel so special."

"You are."

"What are you doing tomorrow? Do you want to drive to L.A. with me and do some shopping?" she asked.

"I can't," Angel replied. "I already made plans with Xander and Missy to go to the beach for the day. I'm sorry."

Her face fell. Buffy wanted to spend as much time with him as possible before they had to part. "It's okay. Have fun tomorrow with them."

"You can come with us, if you'd like. I'm sure they won't mind if you tag along."

"You make me sound so wanted," she said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "But that's okay. I don't want to intrude on your time with them. I am sure they think I'm hogging you all the time."

"Hey! You're my girlfriend and you are not intruding on anything, nor are you hogging me. They aren't going to mind at all."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

A smile played upon his lips. "I am positive. Now, come here." Placing his hand on the nape of her neck, Angel brought his mouth down to hers.

***

"God, why did she have to come with us?" Melissa whined as the four teenagers made their way along the sandy beach to an open space for them to lay their belongings. She and Xander were walking several paces behind Buffy and Angel. "It's like they're attached at the hip or something. She follows him around like a big, bleached-blonde puppy dog."

"She's a natural blonde, Missy," Xander reminded her.

She scowled. "Oh, shut up. I'm just getting sick of it. Every time I answer the phone, it's her; I open the door, she's there. At dinner, all Angel ever talks about is her. He was never like that with Kelley. It's disgusting and I'm sick of it. Don't get me wrong, Angel's my brother and I love him dearly, but I cannot wait for him to leave for college."

"Wow, what a positive attitude you have," Xander sarcastically commented.

"Bite me."

"Come on, be happy for him. He's with the girl of his dreams, he's happier than he's ever been, he found a way to go to the college of his choice *and* keep supporting you and your mom while he's there. Angel has got it all now and you're complaining about it?"

Melissa sighed. "I am happy for him, Xander, really, I am. I'm thrilled he's going to Emerson, though I still don't understand how it happened." Angel never told his sister about the arrangement with Hank Summers. Instead, he told her that the college was so intent on having him attend in the fall that they'd offered him a well-paying job in the Dean's office to pay off his bills back home. "Although I am *so* hoping he'll meet some nice girl and forget all about the Ice Princess."

"Somehow, I don't think Angel's likely to forget about her. She might be it for him," he told Melissa, pointing to where Buffy and Angel had placed their towels. They were sitting down, Angel rubbing suntan lotion on her back. "It's love."

"Pussy-whipped is more like it."

***

An hour later, Xander and Angel were wading in the ocean up to their knees when Xander had an idea. "Hey, Angel?"

"What?"

"Do you think the girls would be up for a game of chicken?" he asked. "It could be fun."

"I'm game, but let's ask them. Though I know for a fact that Missy'll love the idea. She loved it when we played that with Kelley. Although I think she just enjoyed the idea of being able to push her around."

Xander frowned at the memory. "Yeah. I forgot how brutal she can be. Maybe it's not such a good idea after all. Missy isn't exactly Buffy's biggest fan."

"I think Buffy can hold her own. They don't call her the Ice Princess for nothing. She's tough."

The two made their way onshore, heading for the spot where Buffy and Melissa were laying in their bikinis. "Hey, sleeping beauties!" Xander shouted, shaking his head, spraying water on them in the process.

Melissa shot up immediately. "Ew! That is so gross, Xander. Now I'm covered in your sweat."

Next to her, Buffy just laughed. She found the young man's antics amusing. "What's up?"

"You girls up for a game of chicken?" he wanted to know.

"Count me in," Melissa said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. 'Now I have an excuse to slap the little bitch senseless.'

"Buffy?" Angel asked.

She nodded. "All right. Sounds like fun."

The four teenagers jumped into the water, swimming until they were waist-deep in the ocean. Melissa and Buffy climbed respectively on the shoulders of Xander and Angel. "Ready?" Angel wanted to know, rubbing his girlfriend's ankle.

"Uh-huh. Bring it on."

Melissa started the fight right away, giving Buffy a hard shove to the shoulders. It took her off-guard at first, but she retaliated with just as much strength. There was no way Buffy was going to let Melissa Riches get the best of her. She'd let that happen for far too long; now it was her turn to come out on top.

Buffy blocked almost every one of Melissa's blows, although a few were aimed for her face. In her own offensive strategy, she'd managed to almost knock the girl off Xander's shoulders a few times. Without warning, Melissa grabbed a handful of Buffy's hair and yanked with all her might.

"Ow!" she yelled.

Shrugging, Melissa grinned. "Don't be such a whiner, Buffy. It's only hair, it'll grow back eventually."

"Okay, I think maybe we should stop now," suggested Angel, making eye contact with his best friend. Things were getting too rough for his liking. "Don't you think, Xander?"

"Good idea. I'm getting hungry anyway."

Melissa pouted. "You're always hungry, Xand. I wanna finish this." With one last push, she effectively knocked Buffy off of her perch.

She fell to the water with a crash, sinking underneath. In the wake of her fall, Buffy inhaled a mouthful of water, filling her lungs with fluid. Her eyes closed as she sank to the bottom.

"I win!" the other girl cheered. "I totally kicked Buffy's ass!"

"You were playing too rough, Missy," Angel told her. "It was supposed to be fun, yet you were out for blood."

"It's not my fault your girlfriend's a wimp."

Xander looked around. "Speaking of Buffy, where is she? Shouldn't she have come up by now?"

Panic seized hold of Angel's body. She hadn't yet resurfaced. Scanning the clear blue water, he caught sight of her bright red bathing suit under the water. "Oh my god," he said. "She's at the bottom." Without stopping to think, Angel dove under to her limp, lifeless body.

**


	25. Chapter 25

25

He dove without thinking; no thoughts were necessary. This was instinct, and the primal voice in his head told him that he needed to get to Buffy, needed to get her out of the water. It was the only thing on his mind: saving Buffy. She was his love, his life, and there was no way he would lose her because of his sister's unnecessary act of maliciousness.

Angel reached her within seconds. She'd only been under for maybe twenty seconds, but he knew well-enough that drowning only takes an instant. He was shocked by what he saw: her eyes were closed, her arms floated at her sides and her face was deathly pale. 'I have to get her to the shore. She needs air,' Angel reminded himself. Grabbing her by the waist, he swam toward the light, gasping for breath when he broke the surface.

"Is she alright?" Xander asked when the two resurfaced.

Angel shook his head. "I don't know. We have to get her to the shore. I'm not sure if she's breathing."

Only a few feet away, Melissa dropped her jaw in amazement. "You guys are actually falling for this? She's just faking it. Buffy wants your sympathy and attention. They're all like that. Don't you see? You're both falling for it."

Her brother didn't hear her, he'd already begun swimming for shore with the still-unconscious Buffy in his arms. Xander, however, did hear every word she said. "You have a lot of nerve, Melissa. Sometimes I wonder about you."

"What?" she replied innocently.

"You are so cold-hearted. What happened to the nice, caring girl I grew up with? The one I had a crush on for years? Is she even there anymore?"

"Xander, you're overreacting."

"Then you're underreacting. Hasn't it occurred to you that Buffy could be seriously hurt?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Like I said, she's faking for the attention."

"You can't fake that blue color in her face. Missy, you know what? Don't talk to me. Until you get over this complex you have about Buffy, pretend you don't even know me. Because I don't want to associate with someone like you."

Meanwhile, Angel reached the shore, still carrying Buffy. He laid her down on the warm, dry sand, then checked to see if she was breathing. His breath caught in his throat when he discovered that she wasn't.

A nearby lifeguard ran over. "What happened?" he wanted to know.

"She-she fell in the water and didn't come back up. I found her on the bottom," Angel explained, barely able to get the words out. He was scared half to death. 'What if she doesn't start breathing again? What if Buffy doesn't wake up?' "Is she okay?"

The lifeguard was already kneeling on the sand with his ear only inches from Buffy's nose and mouth. "How long has she been unconscious?"

"I don't know. A minute, maybe. Is she okay?" he repeated.

The young man opened Buffy's mouth, pressed his own against it and started to give her mouth-to-mouth. After a second, he pushed on her chest. Angel only stared in pain; he felt so useless. 'This is all my fault. If only I hadn't pushed Buffy into playing that childish game with us. God, I should have known Melissa would take things too far. And the girl I love is paying the price.'

Angel was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice Xander and his sister approach, nor did he see the people standing nearby, watching the scene. All he could see was Buffy laying helpless on the sand and the lifeguard trying to resuscitate her.

After thirty seconds of CPR, Buffy's eyes opened. Water spewed out of her mouth onto the sand. Angel thanked whoever was looking out for them for not taking her away so soon. When she could focus her eyes, the first person she saw was a handsome, yet unfamiliar man with short blonde hair and tanned skin.

"Am I in heaven? Did I die?" she asked softly. "Who are you? An angel?"

The young man smiled, but shook his head. "No, you're very much alive. And I'm not an angel. My name is Riley." 'Good Lord, she's pretty,' he thought.

"Good." She turned her head to the right. "Xander?"

"Hey, Buff. You scared the hell out of us."

"Why aren't you Angel?"

He laughed. 'Typical. A pretty girl acknowledges my existence and she wonders why I'm not Angel. It never fails. I have got to get myself an ugly best friend.' "Sorry to disappoint you. He's right behind you."

"Angel?" she called, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Right here, Buffy," Angel told her, moving into her line of vision. He turned his attention to Riley, the lifeguard who'd saved Buffy's life. "Thank you so much. You saved her."

"Just doing my job. Be careful out there next time."

"I'll make sure she's safe."

Riley walked away, the rest of the crowd leaving with him. As far as they were concerned, the excitement was over. The only people who remained with Buffy were Angel, Xander and Melissa.

"Are you okay?" Angel questioned his girlfriend.

She nodded her head, sitting up with Angel's help. "Yeah, I think. Just really embarrassed is all."

"Easy to understand."

"I hate to ask you this, but do you think you can take me home? I really don't want to be here anymore."

"Sure. Just let me go get the car. You stay right there and don't move."

Melissa huffed. "That's not fair. I want to stay. I'm not ready to go home yet."

Angel glared at his sister. At that point in time, she wasn't his favorite person and he could have cared less what she wanted. "Well, get over it. We're going. If you want to stay, fine. But you can find your own way home."

Xander and Angel left to pack up their belongings, leaving Buffy alone with Melissa. "I certainly hope you're happy now, Buffy," Melissa said. "You've managed to ruin my entire day."

"I don't really care. You practically killed me out there. I hope *you're* happy," the blonde retorted. "I do not know why you are constantly trying to hurt me. Is it because you're jealous of me?"

"Me? Jealous of you? Pfft. Would you contemplate getting over yourself for a minute? Not everything is always about you."

"Then what is it? You're miserable, so everyone around you has to be miserable too?"

"Angel can do so much better than you. I can't wait for him to leave for school. Maybe he'll smarten up and find himself a nice, normal girlfriend."

"I'm sorry you don't approve of me. From what I've heard, you have that problem with all of your brother's girlfriends. Is it against your nature to get along with anyone he cares about who isn't you?" Buffy asked.

"If my brother wasn't about to come back, I'd slap you for that."

"I won't stop you. Go right ahead."

Melissa laughed. "Why? So you can go running back to Angel and play 'poor little rich girl' all over again? I won't give you the satisfaction. You're just a phase for him. Something he'll grow out of…like bed-wetting. Once he gets to Emerson, he'll meet some great girl and forget all about you. You'll be a memory. And too far away to warrant any real threat to his happiness."

"You think so, huh? I suppose I should be worried, but you know what? I'm not. Angel loves me and vice versa. Not to mention the fact that I'll be there with him." She noted the look of surprise on Melissa's face. "Oh, you didn't know that? Yeah, I'll be joining Angel in Massachusetts for the spring semester, after I transfer to Boston College. Think of it this way, in a couple years, I might be your sister-in-law. Imagine that."

"My brother has more sense than that," the brunette argued. "He'll never marry you."

"Really? Well, he told me so himself after graduation. Said he wants to be with me forever, that he'll love me for the rest of his life. He wants to marry me and wants to be a father. To *my* children, Melissa. No one else's."

Angel and Xander returned before Melissa had a chance to reply. "Are you ready to go, Buffy?" Angel asked her.

"Yeah. Thank you."

"I'm just glad you're okay. I don't know what I'd do if something had happened to you out there."

"Oh god," his sister muttered.

"Shut up. This is all because of you, I hope you know that," he accused. "Are you coming or are you staying here by yourself?"

She frowned. "I guess I'm coming with you." 'Bitch,' she swore. 'You'll definitely get what's coming to you. Eventually, I'll prove my brother wrong.'

***

"Angel, there's really no need for this," Buffy said to him after he'd carried her to her bedroom and placed her on the bed. "You don't have to treat me like I'm some fragile piece of glass."

"There *is* need for it. You almost drowned out there today, and it's partially my fault. I want to make it up to you."

"It wasn't your fault, so stop blaming yourself. It was an accident, they happen occasionally. Besides, I'm fine."

He sat down on the bed next to where he'd laid her down. "No, you only think you're fine. Just get some rest, Buffy; at least for today. Promise me. Stay in bed."

"Will you stay with me?"

"Sure."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Aside from the whole drowning thing, I had a really good time with you guys. Xander's a really funny guy. Is he seeing anyone?"

"Why? Are you interested in dating him?" Angel joked.

"Not me. I'm perfectly happy with the boyfriend I've got now. But I was thinking…maybe Xander and Cordy could hook up."

Uncontrollable laughter came out of Angel's mouth. "You have got to be kidding me. Xander Harris and Cordelia Chase? No offense, but I don't see that happening. Ever."

"Why not?"

"First of all, they're too different. Cordelia's very upper-crust and Xander is as down-to-earth as they come. We're talking about total opposite ends of the spectrum."

"The same could be said for us."

"Yeah, but they weren't pushed together by fate, and unfortunately in this case, Xander hasn't been in love with Cordelia his entire life," he responded. "Might hinder the relationship a bit."

"Fate doesn't have to push them, we could. Can't we at least run the idea by them first before you say no for him?"

He shrugged. "You can try. But I gotta warn you, Xander's had a thing for Missy since we were kids."

"Missy's a bitch," Buffy said, harshly. "Look, I know she's your sister, but she's still a bitch."

"She's not on my list of favorite people right now either. I don't know what her problem is, but she had better get over it real soon."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "Forget it. She and I will never get along and that's okay. It's a fact of life that some people are destined to despise each other." Buffy decided to change the subject. "Come on, what do you say? Wanna help me play Cupid for Xander and Cordy?"

He never had a chance to answer. "Buffy?" her father called from the other side of the door. "Is that you in there?"

"Oh shit," Angel mumbled. "Now what?"

"Hide in the closet and be very quiet," she hissed. "Don't come out until I tell you to."

Angel did as he was told. With a deep breath, she said, "Come on in!"

Mr. Summers entered the room. "Hi, honey. Who were you talking to? I heard voices."

"No one. I had the television going," Buffy lied.

"I thought you were going to the beach with your friends. Did your plans change?" her father wanted to know.

"No, we went. I-I left early."

He narrowed his eyes. "Did something happen? Do you want to talk about it?"

"With you? I don't think so."

"Sweetie, I understand that you're still mad at me. But you have to know I did it for your own good."

"Whatever. I left because I saw him there. Angel, with his sister and best friend. Seeing him was too much for me to handle. Are you happy now?" she threw at him.

"Of course not, I hate seeing you like this. I know you think you love him, but you'll get over him and meet someone else." Mr. Summers chose his words carefully for what he was about to ask. "Did Angel attempt to speak to you at all?"

"No. He's keeping up his end of the agreement. He saw me and turned the other way. Look, did you come in here for a reason or did you just want to play Twenty Questions?"

He sighed. "I wondered why you were home, that's all."

"Fine. You can leave now."

One full minute after Mr. Summers exited the room, Buffy figured it was safe for Angel to come out. "Okay," she told him. "He's gone."

"That was close," he commented as he stepped out of the closet.

"Uh-huh. God, what a bastard."

"He's your father, Buffy."

"I hate him."

Angel sat back down on the bed. "That's not fair. You shouldn't hate your father."

"Why not? You hate yours."

"That is different. My father left my mother high and dry with two children to support. He doesn't call or even write to see how she is, or how we are. We don't matter to him. If I passed him on the street, I wouldn't even acknowledge that he is my father. I don't think he ever really cared about us. But your dad loves you. It's obvious."

"He has a funny way of showing it. Paying off my boyfriend to stay away from me. Yeah, that's a real show of love. And how can you defend him after what he's done?"

"Buffy…"

"Forget it. Let's just drop it, okay? Please, Angel."

"All right. But we do have a problem."

"What's that?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Getting me out of your house without your father seeing me."

"Oh yeah. We'll manage."

***


	26. Chapter 26

26

"I cannot believe I let you talk me into this," Cordelia complained when she and Buffy entered the Bronze. "What on earth was I thinking when I said yes?"

"Because you haven't had a date since the Prom," reminded Buffy with a knowing smile.

"By choice, thank you very much. Things could have been quite nice if Marcus hasn't tried to put his hands up my dress in the limo afterwards. God, what a pervert." She shuddered at the memory.

"Well, I can almost guarantee that Xander won't try anything like that. You guys are going to get along great."

Cordelia laughed shortly. "I don't know about that…me and Xander Harris? Can you say 'total opposites'?"

"You're starting to sound like Angel did when I brought up the idea last week. Come on, you're never gonna know until you try. What do you say? No harm, no foul."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. You hit a grand slam with your boyfriend. His cuteness factor alone makes up for the lack of money and prestige."

"Fine, I'll make you a deal. If you start to feel uncomfortable, you and I will leave and go back to my house to watch a movie. But you have to give Xander a chance. No complaining after five minutes. Promise me, Cordy," Buffy said.

"All right."

Buffy led her best friend to the table where Angel and Xander were sitting. She couldn't help but grimace when she saw Melissa sitting with them. Neither had laid eyes upon one another since the incident at the beach the previous week. If anything, they had avoided each other.

Sucking in a breath, Buffy plastered a smile on her face. "Hi, guys."

Angel stood up and kissed her softly on the cheek. "Hey, you. I was worried you weren't going to show."

"Sorry. It took a little longer than I thought to convince Cordy to come."

"She's here, so I guess it's a mission completed."

"Thanks to a lot of arm twisting, begging, pleading and bribing. She's not exactly down with the whole idea."

"Neither was Xander."

She cast a sidelong glance toward his sister. "I don't want to sound rude or anything, but why is Melissa here? I thought after Prom she decided it would be better if she and Xander were just friends. Did she change her mind?"

He gave her a half-smile. "Moral support, or so she says. That, and she mentioned something about apologizing to you for what she pulled at the beach last week."

She widened her green eyes. "Did hell freeze over and I missed it?"

"Just sit down."

Both of them took a seat, and silence followed. Cordelia and Xander simply sat, staring at the table, while Buffy and Angel waited patiently for one of them to begin speaking. After a long, quiet five minutes, Buffy decided she couldn't take it any longer. She kicked her friend's leg under the table.

"Ow! What was that for?" she demanded.

Buffy motioned forward with her hands. "Don't just sit there. Talk to the guy."

Sighing heavily, she started to strike up a conversation with him. "So, Xander, where are you going to school in the fall?"

"I'm not."

"Really? Why?"

He frowned. "I'm not the scholastic type like Angel is over there. Starting in September, I'll be working for my uncle's construction company."

Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "What kind of construction?"

"The usual. Building patios and sheds and stuff like that. Nothing too exciting."

"You know, my parents have been thinking about putting in a pool house. You know, like Buffy has? Maybe I can talk them into hiring you and your uncle."

"That would be…wow."

As the two were talking, Buffy leaned over and whispered in Angel's ear. "I told you they'd get along famously, Mr. Cynical."

"Yeah yeah. I suppose you want to brag about it now," he said jokingly.

"You suppose right."

***

"Okay, I'm dying of thirst," Buffy stated half an hour later. "Anybody want anything to drink while I'm up there?"

"Coke."

"Water."

"Sprite with a twist of lemon."

Buffy laughed. "You *do* know that I only have two hands, right? Who is going to help me carry all this stuff?"

Melissa stood up. "I'll help. I'm getting kind of stir crazy anyway, just sitting here doing nothing. Could definitely use a walk to the concession stand."

The two walked in complete silence to the refreshment counter, still uneasy around one another. The line was long, so they had to wait.

"Buffy, I owe you an apology," Melissa said.

"What for?"

"For what I did last week. I was completely out of line for saying the stuff I said and for doing what I did. Never once did it cross my mind that you might get hurt. It was never my intention."

She nodded. "I accept your apology. As long as you accept mine. I said some pretty nasty things out there, too."

Melissa extended her hand. "Friends?"

Buffy looked at it for a moment, unsure of what to think. Here was the girl who teased and tormented her for years, offering friendship. "Friends," she repeated, shaking her hand.

"Great, now that that's out of the way, you have to tell me something. How did you manage to convince my brother to go to Emerson? It was pretty definite that he wasn't going."

"Believe me, it took some work. But I made him see that if he didn't go, there'd be no way for us to be together," Buffy explained.

"Why's that?"

"If he'd said no to my dad's offer, my father would have disowned me. Angel didn't want that, so we figured out this way. It was the only way. So, come January, I'll be in Massachusetts with him."

***

"This is unbelievable," Buffy said to Angel when they were dancing later that night. "Cordy and Xander are actually getting along, and Melissa apologized and wants to be my friend."

"Life is strange that way, I guess."

She rested her head below his shoulder. "But not this. This feels so right; perfect even. Someone up there must really like me for letting me be this happy."

"Well then, somebody up there likes me too," Angel agreed.

He felt a tap on his right shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Parker Abrams standing a foot behind him. "Parker," he muttered unhappily. "What do you want?"

The young man smiled. "Mind if I cut in?"

"It's not up to me, it's Buffy's decision."

"Buffy?" Parker asked.

She looked into Angel's eyes. "Do you really mind?" she wanted to know.

"Like I said, it's up to you."

"Just for this song, then," she said to Angel. "And then we can go somewhere private. It's been so long since we've had some time alone together. Just the two of us."

"One dance, you promise?"

"One dance. I have a feeling he'll keep bugging us all night if I don't say yes."

Angel planted a kiss on her forehead. "Okay, I'll be right over there if you need me."

Parker barely let Angel leave Buffy's side before he pulled her into his own embrace and swept her away from her boyfriend, into the middle of the crowded dance floor. He wanted as much space between the two as possible.

"How has summer vacation been treating you?" he asked.

"It's been fine so far. Nothing to complain about. What about you? I heard about you breaking up with Kelley."

He shrugged his shoulders. "She wasn't as committed as I was. Kelley wanted what she couldn't have. But she was fun while she lasted," Parker said to her. "Speaking of lasting relationships, you and Angel have been together for quite a while now."

"Two and a half months."

"Wow. Well, Buffy, when he starts to bore you, you can always come to me."

She was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"I've had my eye on you for some time now, Summers. And the way I figure it, Angel's gotta be boring you out of your pretty little mind. At least that's what Kelley said about him. All talk and no action, that's why she came to me. I know how to keep a girl happy."

"Parker, you wouldn't have the faintest idea how to keep me happy," she replied. "You don't know me or what I need. Angel does. So, if you're trying to make it two-for-two with stealing his girlfriends, I'm telling you right now that your streak is over. This girl isn't interested."

"Give me a break. A guy like him doesn't have what it takes to keep a girl like you happy. You crave excitement; heat and passion. A goody-goody Mama's boy like Angel Riches doesn't have it in him to keep you satisfied."

"What do you mean by 'a girl like me'? What's that supposed to mean?"

Parker smiled seductively. "A beautiful, vivacious, rich, sexy girl. One who has been around the block more than a few times. He can't give you what you need, a poor loser like him." He snapped his fingers. "I get it now. This is a game for you, isn't it? To see how long it'll take you to get Virgin Boy into bed with you. You're in for a long wait, Buffy. But I'm willing to help you out next time you have an itch that needs scratching."

"Go to hell, Parker." With that, she lifted her knee up with all her might, connecting it with his groin. "Scratch *that* itch, you sick pervert."

She stalked off the dance floor, walking to where Angel was waiting for her. "What happened out there?" he wanted to know.

Turning her head, she glanced back onto the dance floor. Parker was kneeling on the ground, his face red and his hands clutching his groin. "He had an itch, so I scratched it for him."

"Huh?"

"I kicked him in the balls for trying to come on to me. Let's go, I have some pent-up energy I need to release."

***


	27. Chapter 27

27

Buffy dropped her head on Angel's chest while he covered them up with the blanket he kept in his back seat. She snuggled tighter into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm exhausted," she whispered.

He ran his hand through her damp hair. "Sorry," he apologized to her.

"Why are you apologizing? I'm not sorry, believe me. It's a good exhausted feeling. One I wouldn't trade for the world."

"I have to agree with that."

"You know, Cordy and Xander went on their first official date tonight," she told him. "I don't think I've ever seen her so nervous. You'd think she's going out with the Crown Prince of England something like that."

"It surprised the hell out of me. Even now, the mere idea of Xander Harris and Cordelia Chase being a couple is still strange."

Buffy smiled. "And I am sure that people said the same thing on Prom night when I showed up on your arm. I hope they prove all the cynics wrong, just like we did."

"You can't do anything more than hope for the best," Angel said flatly. "But not everything works out the way it's planned."

Something in her boyfriend's tone bothered Buffy. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was off. "Is everything okay? You kind of seem out of it today."

"It's nothing." He slid himself out from underneath her into a sitting position. Reaching onto the floor of his back seat, Angel grabbed the jeans he'd been wearing and began to get dressed.

Buffy sat up as well, but kept the worn blanket around her as she watched him. "No, you have something face. What is it? You know you can tell me anything."

"I know."

"Then why won't you tell me?"

He shook his head. "It's just…I fucking *hate* this!" Angel shouted, throwing his fist against the car door in his rage. "This isn't right, and it's sure as hell not fair to me, or to you, either."

His show of anger frightened her a bit, but not enough to make her leave his side. Buffy knew he'd never lay a hand on her in anger. "What isn't right? Tell me."

"This whole arrangement with your father. I'm so aggravated with this sneaking around shit he's forcing us to do. I don't give a rat's ass about the money, or what he thinks, for that matter. He's not going to run my life anymore. I've decided. He can have it all back, everything he gave me. I don't want it any longer."

"Angel, no. You can't do that. It'll be the end, I just know it. This is the only way," she argued, tears stinging her eyes. Buffy knew how stubborn he could be, and she had to change his mind any way she could.

"This is the only way?" Angel repeated while pulling his white t-shirt over his head. "Sneaking out, lying to your father is the only way? Maybe it's only me, but I think you deserve better than having sex in the back seat of a car. At the very least, you should have a bed. It's degrading, this whole situation. I can't do it anymore."

"Please. Think about what you're doing. Not only are you giving up the money, but in a way, you're giving up on me, too."

"I'm not giving up on you," Angel disagreed. "No. If he does decide to punish you for this, then it's his loss. Let him kick you out of his house and disown you. I'll take care of you. Buffy, you can live with my family, I know my mother won't mind; she adores you. There's plenty of room. Hell, you can have my room and I'll move into the basement."

"Do you think that's all that matters to me? His money? It doesn't. And I'm not doing this for me, I'm doing it for you. This is about making your dream come true; seeing to it that you have every opportunity to make that dream of being a writer become reality. And if, in order to do that, I have to sneak around behind my father's back to be with the man I love, then I'm more than willing to take that risk.

"What we have, Angel, is worth fighting for. I waited for three-quarters of my life to be with you, do you honestly believe I'm going to let you go? Not a chance. And when we're together, like we just were, I don't need a bed or pillows or candles and romantic music. I just need you. It's the person I'm with, not the place I'm in."

He sighed. "I feel like it cheapens what we have when we have to park in the woods and hide from the world when we make love. There's no romance."

"Of course there is. I see it."

"Then you have better eyesight than I do."

"Is that what you want? Romance?"

Angel nodded. "That's part of it. I feel like we lost it along the way somewhere; through all this secrecy. And I want to get it back while we still can."

"Then we will. When's your last day of work at the store?" she wanted to know.

He had to think for a moment. "A week from tomorrow. Your father conveniently arranged it so I'd have two weeks to pack up my stuff and get the hell out of town."

"And when do classes begin?"

"Thursday the twenty-third. But I'm leaving on the twentieth to settle in and attend orientation. Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well, you wanted romance, right? How about you and I take a romantic weekend for two? Leave on the Thursday before you leave and come back on Sunday morning…it'll be perfect," suggested Buffy.

"Where do you have in mind?"

She smiled. "What's more romantic than the beach house? Especially to us."

"What about your father? Won't he be suspicious of you going away right before I leave?"

"Nope. Dad's going on a two-week trip to London for business, it's been planned for months now. Some big merger or something to that effect. We'll be free and clear. I'll tell him I'm going on a little vacation with the Chases."

"Is he gonna believe you?"

Buffy shrugged. "He doesn't have any reason not to. Besides, I've gone on trips with them before, and Cordy will cover for me. What do you say?"

"Let me clear it with my mom first. I don't want her to be left alone if I'm going to be gone."

"If she says no, you can always stay at my house for the weekend. Either way, I guarantee romance. Now come here. I don't have to be home for another half an hour."

***

"So, you'll do it?" Buffy asked Cordelia the following day as they were laying on the Summers' pool deck tanning themselves in the warm California sun. "Really?"

"Yeah, why not? Anything for the sake of true love," Cordelia replied dramatically.

"You are the best friend ever!"

"I try. But you have to promise me one thing, Buffy."

She raised her eyebrows. 'There's always a catch, even with Cordelia. It never fails.' "What? Do you want my firstborn?"

"Ew! God no. Yuck. No, what I want is details. You were rather vague the first time you went away with him. This time I want you to tell me everything."

"Why don't I videotape the entire weekend for you?"

"No thank you. That classifies as too much information, and I would prefer not to have the visuals. The way I figure it, if I'm not getting any, I have to live vicariously through you. Since you're getting more than the average hooker."

"Angel and I do *not* have sex that much!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Oh please," Cordelia scoffed. "I'm not stupid. It's not like I'm mad about it, I'm happy for you. Just be careful."

"Now you're starting to sound like a mother. He and I are always careful. The last thing I need - or want - is a baby right now."

She nodded in understanding. "I know. You guys have fun."

"We will. Wanna go shopping with me this weekend? I have to drive to Los Angeles for a new outfit. Something sexy he hasn't already seen me in."

Cordelia laughed. "Why bother? It's just gonna end up on the floor anyway."

***


	28. Chapter 28

28

Angel looked at his wristwatch. 'Only fifteen more minutes,' he thought, 'and then I'm out of here. For good.' It was his last day of work at the department store before he left for school. Although exciting, it was depressing as well. He'd been working there for three years, it had become almost a second home to him, and a part of Angel was disappointed about leaving. But another, larger part was thrilled that he would never have to stand behind a cash register again.

There was nobody else working with him; he'd sent Liz home an hour earlier because business had been slow. They had exchanged their goodbyes and she left.

He broke out of his reverie when a customer came to his register. Inside, he rejoiced. It was Buffy. But he innately knew he had to play it cool. Her father was in his office, with video cameras pointed in their direction, Angel was sure of it. "Hi," he said.

A bright smile lit up her face. "Hi. You don't look happy to see me. What's up?"

"Your father is upstairs."

"So?"

"He's got security cameras everywhere, including one pointed right where you're standing. Don't smile or he might suspect something," Angel advised.

She wiped the smile right off her face, replacing it with a fallen look instead. "Sorry. He must be tying up loose ends before he leaves tomorrow afternoon."

"Probably. Try not to make eye contact and when you leave, pretend to be upset."

"I don't have to pretend, I'm always upset when I leave you."

Angel rang up her purchase and put everything in bags. "It's all set. I added it to your father's tab."

"Thanks."

"See you tomorrow."

"'Kay. He leaves at noon, so I'll call after he's gone," Buffy told him.

Angel had to wrestle with himself when she walked away. He didn't want her out of his sight. 'Only five more minutes. No more pretending to be Mr. Miserable whenever Buffy walks through the door. And then Mr. Summers won't be watching me like a hawk either.'

"Hey, man," Jason said, stepping in his checkout line. "Last day, huh?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah."

"Look, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I'm gonna miss you. In a purely non-sexual way, of course."

"I'll miss you, too. We've had some good times these past few years," agreed Angel. "I'm sorry I have to leave."

"You're lucky to be getting out of this town, going to some great college on the East Coast, never having to look back or even come back."

Angel laughed. "You make it sound like I'm never coming back to Sunnydale. I have family and friends here, you know."

"And a beautiful girl who's still very much in love with you," Jason reminded him.

"Who? Kelley? It's long over between us. She knows it."

The manager shook his head. "No, not her. I'm talking about Buffy Summers. I don't know why you two broke up, but it's pretty obvious to the average observer that she's not over you. The look of love and adoration was all over her face a few minutes ago."

"Some people aren't meant to be."

"Must have been one rough breakup. She looked utterly devastated when she left. Buffy seemed really hurt. Was it really that bad?" he wanted to know.

"It's complicated and you wouldn't understand."

Jason nodded. "Probably not. Oh well. Good luck at school and don't forget us little people when you're a famous writer."

"Like you'd let me forget."

***

As he was about to walk out the door after his final shift ended, Angel was stopped by Mr. Summers.

"May I have a word with you in my office, Angel?" Buffy's father asked.

Nodding his head, Angel followed the older man into his office. "What do you want?" he questioned after the door had been closed behind him.

"You don't beat around the bush, do you? Anyway, with this being your last day here, I thought you and I should go over some things. Lord only knows when we'll see each other again. Quite possibly never."

Angel narrowed his eyes into thin slits. "You'd love that, wouldn't you? To never have to see me again, thus guaranteeing I'd never see your daughter again either."

"You make it sound so personal. It's not, I have nothing against you as a person. I'm certain you'd be wonderful to my Buffy; love and cherish her like she should be. And perhaps if you were of better breeding, I'd be rooting for the two of you," Mr. Summers informed him.

"If I were of better breeding?" Angel repeated. "You make me sound like a dog. But I'm not. The only problem you have with me is who my father is and the amount of money in my bank account."

"True enough. While we're on the subject, Angel, you will find that your bank account has had a large deposit added yesterday. Three and a half million dollars, to be exact."

"Why the other half million?" he skeptically asked. "I thought we agreed on three million."

Mr. Summers clasped his hands across his desk. "You'll find that I'm a man of promises, and when someone keeps a promise to me, they are rewarded handsomely for it. Having kept your end of our bargain, I felt you deserved a reward."

"I don't want any rewards."

"Do you know how I know you've been faithful to our agreement? My daughter. She hasn't mentioned you since July. And when she was here just a little while ago, I watched her. I saw the look on her face. Heartbroken. That's how I know."

"And that warrants a reward? Watching her walk around with a broken heart?" Angel challenged. 'Is this man for real?'

"The pain will be temporary until I find someone suitable for her. But let us get back to the matter at hand. I procured a safety deposit box at Sunnydale Nation Bank with all your papers in it." He handed Angel a key. "Everything's in order. Send any bills here to the store. You are never to contact me by telephone; the same goes for my daughter."

He stood up. "I wish you luck, then."

Angel only glared at the man. "I don't want your luck. I believe in fate. Some things are destined to happen, regardless of human interference. I'd like you to remember that in the future."

***


	29. Chapter 29

29

The following week and a half went by smoothly. Mr. Summers left for London the day after his talk with Angel, leaving the couple free to spend their last two weeks together. As planned, they arrived at the Summers' beach house Thursday evening, choosing to stay only until Saturday afternoon so that Angel could spend his last day in Sunnydale with his mother and sister.

"Here we are. Again," Buffy announced once she unlocked the back door.

"Yep."

She turned to face him. "Ready to begin our romantic holiday?"

"You know I didn't just come here for that, Buffy," Angel said. "It's not about…you know, having sex for the next two days. I wanted to be alone with you. Away from annoying family members, ringing telephones and all those other distractions we constantly have to deal with."

"There's no need to convince me, I already know this. That's exactly why I suggested we come here. So, tell me, what do you want to do first?"

Angel shrugged. "I'll let you decide."

She thought for a moment. 'I don't want to say we should go to bed because that might make him think the only reason I came up here with him was to *literally* be with him.' "Do you wanna watch a movie? There isn't a whole lot to do up here at night. I'm sure you already know that, though."

"Sure. Did you bring any movies with you?"

Buffy nodded. "Just in case, I brought a cute little romantic comedy. Cordy and I went to see it when it first came out."

"And what movie would that be?"

"What Women Want. Have you seen it?"

"No. But Missy did, and she said she really liked it. So we can watch that if you want to."

She smiled. "Great. Let's get dressed for bed and we can make popcorn and then watch it."

***

Two hours later, Angel sat on the couch, staring at the television in amazement. The movie's credits were rolling and he couldn't get over how much he'd enjoyed it. Mel Gibson had never been one of his favorite actors, but Angel couldn't help but like him after watching the movie.

'What an amazing gift to have,' he pondered. 'Being able to read people's thoughts. Especially women's. What I wouldn't give to be able to hear what Buffy is thinking right now. Is she thinking about me?'

When he looked to the right side of the couch, he saw his girlfriend sleeping with her head resting on a white throw pillow. The sight brought a smile to his face. 'So beautiful, so peaceful and sweet and innocent. How can anyone not love her?'

Despite his yearnings to be with her, Angel picked her up off the couch and carried her to the bedroom, where he covered her up with the heavy green comforter. He didn't have the heart to wake her up, no matter how much he wanted to.

'Maybe I had better go to bed too,' Angel decided. He went into the bathroom to take out his contact lenses and brush his teeth. Five minutes later, he climbed into bed next to Buffy. No sooner had he turned out the lights when she turned over in her sleep, pressing herself against him.

"Good night, love," Angel said before falling asleep himself.

***

"I still can't believe it," Buffy repeated for the third time that day, shaking her head. "How stupid could I be, falling asleep during the movie like that. Now I've probably ruined our entire weekend."

Angel took a sip of water. It was seven-thirty Friday night and Buffy had prepared the two of them a candlelight dinner. "You didn't ruin anything, I swear it."

"But I had plans for us last night!"

"And how much would you have enjoyed them if you were dead tired? Probably not a lot. You were tired, I understand."

She pouted. "I still feel awful about it."

"You can make it up to me later."

"Oh, I plan on it." She chewed a forkful of spaghetti. "Is everything okay? Do you like the spaghetti and meatballs I made?"

Angel nodded enthusiastically. "It's great. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you're a great cook."

"Thank you."

"So…um, when do classes start at UC Sunnydale?" he wanted to know.

"The day after Labor Day."

"Have you decided what you're going to take yet?"

"Yeah. Well, freshman don't register until next Friday, but I chose all my courses already. English 201, Introduction to Psychology, Survey of Calculus, Photography and Creative Writing. This way when we write back and forth, my letters will actually be interesting to read. I'm going to need to compete with those smart, pretty, creative girls at Emerson who'll be throwing themselves at you."

He smiled adoringly at her. "There's no competition. No Emerson girl could ever hold a candle to you."

***

Buffy stood by the door of the bedroom, surveying the decorating she had just completed. 'This looks perfect,' she said to herself. 'I only hope Angel thinks so, too.' Opening the door, she called out to him in the living room. "Angel! Come here, please!"

He ran down the hall to her. "What is it? Is something wrong?" When he saw what she had done, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh my god, Buffy. What have you done?"

She had placed white candles on every flat surface in the room. Soft music could be heard from the portable stereo on the dresser, the bedsheets had been turned down, and in the middle of the room stood Buffy. His heart pounded uncontrollably when he set his eyes on her. She wore an emerald green satin nightgown that fell to the floor. It matched her eyes perfectly, and her long blonde hair was tied up in a loose bun.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"What…what's all this for?"

She walked a few steps toward him. "This is my way of making it up to you. For falling asleep last night."

"So you set up a seduction scene? You didn't have to go to all that trouble," Angel admonished.

"I wanted to. Besides, I had it planned out anyway. What do you think of my nightgown that I bought especially for tonight? Cordy helped me pick it out."

"It's lovely. The exact same color as your eyes." He smirked. "But it would look better on the floor in the morning."

Buffy took hold of his hands. "All in due time. But first you have to dance with me."

_//Everybody's got something they had to leave behind  
One regret from yesterday that just seems to grow with time  
There's no use looking back on wondering  
How it could be now or might've been  
Oh, this I know but still I can't find ways to let you go _

_I never had a dream come true  
'Til the day that I found you  
Even thought I pretend that I've moved on  
You'll always be my baby  
I never found the words to say  
You're the one I dream about each day  
And I know no matter where life takes me to  
A part of me will always be with you.\\_

She held him close, knowing full-well that it might be the last time they'd be that close for a long time. Buffy didn't want to let a single moment slip by when they could be together. Every moment counted. But she wanted more than anything to be one with him just once more. 'It might be the last time for that, too,' she thought.

_//Somewhere in my memory  
I've lost all sense of time  
And tomorrow can never be 'cause today is all that fills my mind  
There's no use looking back on wondering  
How it should be now or might've been  
Oh, this I know but still I can't find ways to let you go _

_I never had a dream come true  
'Til the day that I found you  
Even thought I pretend that I've moved on  
You'll always be my baby  
I never found the words to say  
You're the one I think about each day  
And I know no matter where life takes me to  
A part of me will always be with you\\_

"I love you," she said. "Never forget that."

"I won't. I couldn't. You're on my mind every moment of every day."

She smiled sadly. "Good. 'Cause I don't know if I could live without you, Angel. If you ever found someone else, I'd die. I just know it."

***

At midnight, long after Angel had fallen asleep, Buffy lay wide awake in his arms. Her left hand traced circles on his chest, which rose and fell in time with his breathing. A single tear fell from her eye onto his arm.

"Don't leave. I changed my mind, Angel. Stay with me. I have a bad feeling that once you leave, we'll never be together. Don't go."

***


	30. Chapter 30

30

"I can't believe this is it," Buffy stated early Sunday evening while she and Angel sat on his front porch. "You're leaving tomorrow."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. My flight leaves in fourteen hours."

"Are - are you packed and ready to go?"

It was hard for Buffy to accept that Angel was leaving the next day. She knew he was only going because she told him to, but that didn't make it any easier. Back in June, August seemed so far away, as if in another lifetime. Now it seemed as though it were only yesterday.

"Mostly. I finished last night. Well, not entirely; I haven't gotten around to packing my toothbrush and stuff like that, but otherwise, I'm ready to go."

Buffy rested her cheek on his shoulder. "I'll miss you. But I guess that goes without saying."

"And the same goes for me. I'm going to think about you every second and dream about you every night," he said to her.

"Will you write? And call?"

"Every chance I get."

"Angel, I'm really afraid. I have a really bad feeling about this whole thing."

Angel put his arms around her. "Like what? My plane might crash somewhere over Kansas? Terrorists will take over the plane and kill all the passengers onboard?"

"That's not funny," she choked out, tears filling her eyes. "Don't even joke about something like that."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "You don't have to worry. Flying is the safest form of travel. Nothing's going to happen to me."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "That isn't what I'm afraid of. I…I'm scared of you meeting someone. Some absolutely beautiful girl with amazing talent; someone who will be able to write you a love poem off the top of her head without having to think about it. I can't do that…I can barely form a coherent sentence as it is. You might fall in love with this girl."

He gently caressed her cheek. "I'm already in love." Angel winked at his saddened girlfriend. "Besides, I bet none of those girls at Emerson were the Prom Queen."

"Maybe they were."

"And maybe they weren't," Angel reassured her. "There's no other girl out there like you, and you've got me, heart, body and soul. No matter how far away I am, that'll never change."

Standing behind the screen door, Melissa rolled her eyes. She had been listening in on their conversation for the past two minutes, standing in the shadows. 'Could those two be any more sappy? "I love you, I need you…" gag me!'

"Ahem," she coughed, announcing her presence. The couple turned around to look at her. "Sorry to interrupt, but dinner's ready. Mom's getting sorta antsy to eat."

"All right. I'll be inside in a minute," her brother informed her.

"Okay." Without another word, Melissa went back into the darkened house.

Buffy sniffled. "So, I guess this is the part where we say good-bye." 'I don't want to say good-bye. 'Cause that means Angel is really gone.'

"I don't believe in good-byes," Angel said. "And I refuse to say it. This isn't good-bye, not by a longshot."

"Then what is it?" she wanted to know.

He shrugged, shaking his head. "I don't know. See you soon, I suppose. It's only for a few weeks, remember that. There's mid-semester break in October and I'll be home for Thanksgiving. Then Winter Break in the beginning of December. Come January, you'll be going back with me. Six weeks, tops, and then we'll be together again."

"Seems like a long time."

"It'll go by quick. And it isn't like we won't be in constant contact the whole time. We'll write, talk on the phone and email. You'll be sick of hearing from me," he joked.

"Never."

They stood up, and Angel placed his forefinger under her chin. Their lips met in a tender kiss, sweetened by their promises to one another.

"I love you," he whispered when the kiss ended.

"I know," Buffy replied. "I love you, too."

He smiled, his forehead touching hers. "You still my girl?"

"Always."

***

Sitting on her bed, Buffy tried her hardest to concentrate on the book she was reading. It was a useless effort; the words jumbled together in an incoherent sea of letters. Nothing was seeping through, all she could think about was Angel.

Even at the dinner table, she had been quiet, leaving her father to question what was bothering her. Each time he asked, she said she was fine. Buffy knew Mr. Summers would never have understood. He'd never loved as deeply as she and Angel did, she decided; if he had, then he never would've torn them apart.

Her radio played in the background, the volume turned down so low she could hardly hear it. But even in her daze, Buffy heard the deejay announce a dedication.

"I have a dedication here from A.R. to his beloved. You know who you are, and he wants you to call him."

_//As I watch you move across the moonlight's gloom  
There's so much tenderness in your loving  
Tomorrow I must leave, the dawn knows no reprieve  
God, give me strength while I am leaving _

_So raise your hands to heaven and pray  
That we'll be back together someday  
Tonight I need your sweet caress  
Hold me in the darkness  
Tonight you calm my restlessness  
You relieve my sadness \\_

"Angel," she stated. "It's you. I know it is."

Buffy picked up the phone next to her bed and dialed the seven digits she'd memorized years before. He picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"It's me."

On the other end of the line, Angel smiled. "You heard the song, I take it."

"I'm still hearing it. It's beautiful."

_//As we move to embrace, tears run down your face  
I whisper words I've loved so softly  
I can't believe this pain  
It's driving me insane  
Without your touch life will be lonely _

_So raise your hands to heaven and pray  
That we'll be back together someday  
Tonight I need your sweet caress  
Hold me in the darkness  
Tonight you calm my restlessness  
You relieve my sadness\\_

"The words hit pretty close to home for me," he divulged. "It's exactly how I'm feeling right now."

"I miss you already. And you're only two miles away. I shudder to think what I'll be like tomorrow at this time when you are three thousand miles away."

He sighed. "I know exactly how you feel. Do you think you could sneak out for a little while? Meet me at the park by the merry-go-round? I need to see you one last time."

"I'll be there."

***

Buffy didn't bother to tell her father where she was going; as far as she was concerned, she was over eighteen and allowed to do whatever she wanted without asking for his permission. And if she wanted to see her boyfriend one last time, Mr. Summers couldn't stop her.

She pulled into the parking lot at eleven-thirty, although she didn't see any other cars around, not even Angel's. 'Is he here?' she asked herself. 'Or did he get held up?'

As she entered the park, Buffy immediately saw Angel. He was sitting on the merry-go-round, waiting patiently for her arrival. She ran over to him, flinging her arms around his neck when he met her halfway.

"I couldn't go," Angel told her, whispering in her ear. "Not without seeing you once more, without being near you again."

"I haven't been able to think about anything at all tonight. You're all I've been able to think about, nothing else."

Angel held her. "Yeah, I know. I sat in my room for hours after you left tonight, wondering how I'm going to manage not seeing you everyday. And I don't know if I can do it."

"It's just so unfair. Why do you have to go away?"

"It was your decision, Buffy. You told me to go. I'm only doing what you wanted me to do. Would you rather I stayed here with you?"

"Yes! No! I don't know. You've worked your entire life for this, it's your opportunity to prove yourself and what you can do. What I want doesn't matter anymore," Buffy said truthfully.

He looked her in the eye. "But it does. I'm not doing this for me, I'm doing it for you. If you don't want me to go, I won't."

Closing her eyes in an effort to hold back her tears, Buffy shook her head. "No, you have to do this. We'll get through it, we're tough."

"Are you sure?" he asked, unconvinced by her words.

"Yep."

They continued to hold each other for a few more minutes. Neither wanted to leave the safety of the other's arms. Buffy and Angel were determined to make it work, despite the odds.

"Angel?"

"Hmm?"

"Could we…well…would you make love to me one last time before you go? I need to be with you in every possible way, I need to feel you," she begged. "I won't be able to make it."

Angel raised his eyebrows at her request. "Here? On the grass in a public park? What if someone sees us?"

"Nobody's around, it's late. And nobody's going to see. Please?!"

He sighed softly. "I can never deny you anything, especially now."

And as the moon shone brightly in the black sky, the couple lowered themselves to the ground, making love one last time


	31. Chapter 31

31

Monday morning, Buffy was awakened by the chiming of her alarm clock at seven-thirty. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned. Her rendezvous with Angel had lasted until one; neither one had wanted to leave the park, and she was dead tired.

'Seven-thirty already? You've gotta be kidding me,' Buffy thought. 'Wait a second…seven-thirty! Oh, god, I overslept!'

Bolting up in bed, panic seized her heart. She had overslept by an hour. 'I am such an idiot! I can't believe I did this!' Angel was leaving at eight o'clock for Boston and Buffy wanted to surprise him at the airport. Now she was afraid she'd miss her chance to see him off.

She jumped out of bed and threw on the first outfit she found in her closet: a long-sleeved blue blouse and a pair of black jeans. In front of her full-length mirror, she brushed her hair back into a ponytail, not bothering to put on any makeup. Angel always preferred the natural look on her, not to mention she didn't have the time to put any on. Every second counted.

Quickly brushing her teeth, Buffy grabbed her car keys and ran out the door. 'I've got fifteen minutes. I have to make it and I will,' she declared. On the way there, she ran two stop signs, three red lights and impeded the speed limit by at least twenty miles an hour, but pulled into the parking lot of Sunnydale International Airport with three minutes to spare before Angel's flight took off.

She ran through the double doors as fast as she could, breathless by the time she reached the Customer Service desk.

"How may I help you?" the older lady sitting behind the counter asked her.

"Hi. Can you tell me which gate Flight 247 to Boston is leaving from?"

The lady punched a few numbers into her computer. "That would be Gate 31. But you had better hurry up, they're starting to board right now."

"Thank you."

Gate 31 was only down the long corridor on the right-hand side, not far at all. The Sunnydale Airport was rather small, so Buffy had no trouble finding it. She made her way through the metal detector on the second try, having forgotten to remove Angel's ring the first time around.

She reached the gate just as Angel disappeared into the tunnel that led onto the plane. He hadn't seen her. "Angel," she said softly, knowing that he would not be able to hear her.

A hand touched her shoulder. "Buffy, honey?" a gentle voice said.

Turning herself around, she saw Mrs. Riches standing behind her. "Mrs. Riches, hi. I came to see Angel off, but I guess I missed him."

"I'm sorry. I know Angel would have wanted to see you. When he calls tonight, I'll be sure to tell him you came by. He'll be sorry he missed you."

Buffy nodded her head sadly. Nothing seemed to be going the way she wanted it to. 'Another bad omen.' "Thank you. When he calls, would you tell him I love him and miss him?"

"Of course I will."

"Are you…are you angry with me?" Buffy wanted to know.

Mrs. Riches knit her eyebrows together. "No, I'm not angry with you at all, Buffy. Why on earth would you think that?"

She blinked. "Because of Angel leaving. I know he told you about my dad's offer. And I thought maybe you hated me for his leaving town."

"Oh, no. God, I could never hate you, or even blame you for that. It had nothing to do with you, it was Hank's doing. As far as I'm concerned, your father made his bed and now he has to lie in it."

"I hate him for what he did," she told Angel's mother. "He doesn't understand how much Angel and I love each other."

She shook her head in response. "Don't do that. He's your father, you should love him. And as for Angel leaving Sunnydale, it would have happened eventually. My boy is special, he's destined for something better than this town can offer him. I can't hate you for making him see that, or for pushing him toward finding himself."

"Really?"

"Really. I've never seen him so happy as he is when he's around you. Angel hasn't had the world's greatest childhood, and any girl who can make him smile and laugh and brighten his whole personality is tops in my book. You're a member of our family, Buffy. You always will be."

***

"Where have you been?" Mr. Summers asked his daughter when she walked through the back door at eight-thirty.

"I went out," she replied flatly.

He lifted his eyebrows. "At eight in the morning? You don't usually crawl out of bed until after ten. Where did you go?"

"I told you, I went out."

"Buffy Anne Summers, you tell me where you were!" he demanded.

"Fine!" Buffy exploded. "You want to know where I was? Then I'll tell you. I went to the airport to see Angel. There. Are you happy now?"

Mr. Summers fumed. "I thought I told you that you were no longer allowed to see him. You purposely broke the rules."

"I love him! And all I wanted to do was say good-bye; see him one last time before he left my life, possibly forever. Is that so wrong of me?"

"We had an agreement and you broke it. How can I trust you after that?"

"I don't know, Dad. How am I supposed to trust you after you tried to buy off the man I love?" she threw back at him.

"You don't love him; you're too young to know what love is yet. Have you forgotten that your so-called love took the money I offered him? What does that tell you about his love for you?"

"He's doing it because I told him to. Angel loves me and he always will. But he deserves to live out his dream, and the money you offered him gave him the chance. I had to force him to take the money or else he'd have said no. See, Dad? He does love me."

The realization hit Mr. Summers at that moment. "You never stopped seeing him, did you? Did you!?"

Buffy held her ground. There was no way she was going to let her father intimidate her. "Never. It was all my idea, too, so you can't take it out on Angel. He was willing to stick to your agreement in order to protect me, but I said no. Every day he worried you would find out and punish me for it. I wasn't about to lose him, not after thirteen years of trying to be with him."

"You went behind my back and continued to see Angel, even after you knew the consequences? What have you become? The Buffy I raised would never do that."

"I'm still me, I'm just fighting for what I believe in. And I believe in Angel and our love. You know, now that I think about it, I have a question for you. What would Mom think of what you've done to break us up?"

"Your mother would've agreed with me."

She shook her head in disagreement. "I doubt that. She'd hate you as much as I do right about now."

"Buffy…"

"No. I'm not listening to you anymore. I don't even think I can live under the same roof as you after what you've done."

"And where do you expect to live, if not under my roof?" Mr. Summers questioned. "With your boyfriend, wherever he is?"

"No. I've been thinking about going away to school. In January, I want to go away to Boston College. Mom went there and I want to, too. You can't stop me from going, Dad, no matter what you pull. Nothing is going to keep me here. Nothing," she swore.

***


	32. Chapter 32

32

Angel cradled the telephone on his shoulder while he was hanging up his clothes in his dorm room closet. "Yeah, it's pretty warm out. I think they said it was eighty degrees when I stepped off the plane. It's almost like home."

"What's the campus like?" Mrs. Riches asked.

"It is beautiful…well, at least the dorms are, anyway. Tennis courts, baseball diamonds, lots of trees with picnic tables underneath them for writing. I love it. I haven't had a chance to walk around and explore yet, I've been busy unpacking. But I'm sure they'll give us a tour tomorrow during orientation."

"You'll love it. And even if you don't, you're always welcome back home," she told him. "Everybody misses you already."

Angel smiled. "I miss you and Missy, too. I never thought I'd be this homesick."

"I just can't believe my little boy's gone away to school. You're so far away, it's going to be a difficult adjustment."

"I know. Imagine how I feel. Everybody's a stranger to me here. All my family and all the people I care about are three thousand miles away. I'm all alone."

"If I know you, you won't be alone for long. People are going to see what a great person you are and they'll be clamoring to be around you."

"Yeah, right. We'll see about that. Mom, I want to let you know that if you need me, I'm only a phone call away. I'll be on the next flight home," Angel said.

She sighed. "Don't you worry about me. Melissa and I will be able to take care of ourselves. It's not us you have to worry about."

"What do you mean?"

"I ran into Buffy at the airport this morning. You had already boarded the plane by the time she reached the terminal. I don't think I've ever seen anybody so brokenhearted as she was."

Sadness filled his heart at his mother's words. "She was there? I missed her?"

"By about thirty seconds. Maybe it would be a good idea if you called her," his mother suggested. "Let her know how you are. Tell her you miss her."

He nodded. "You're right. I'll call her when I get off the phone with you."

"Why don't you do it now? Your sister just finished making dinner, so I have to go anyway."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Go talk to her; tell that sweet little girl how much you love her."

He laughed. "You don't have to worry about me saying that. All right. Give Missy my love and I'll call you again this weekend."

"Whenever you have time. Get yourself situated there first. Meet some people, don't just stay in your room like I know you will."

"Okay."

"Take care, Angel."

"You, too. Bye, Mom."

Angel pressed the receiver down, then dialed Buffy's house. He hoped and prayed that she would answer the phone rather than her father. It would be too difficult to explain why he was calling her.

Back in Sunnydale, Buffy lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. It had been nine hours since Angel had left and she refused to leave her room. Her father was angry with her, but she didn't really care. When the telephone rang, she had no intention of answering it, but changed her mind on the fourth ring.

"Hello?" she answered.

Angel gulped. He'd missed the sound of her voice, and she sounded like an angel to him. "Buffy?"

Her entire face lit up when she recognized the voice on the other end. "Angel! Oh my god! I never thought I would hear from you so soon!"

"I guess I shocked you, huh?"

"Totally. It's so great to hear your voice. Do you have any idea how much I've missed you?"

"Not half as much as I've missed you. I spent my entire flight thinking about you," Angel told her.

"You mean that?"

"Of course. I just got off the phone with my mom and she said you were at the airport and you had just missed me when you got there."

"By like thirty seconds! I was such an idiot, I wanted to see you off but I ended up oversleeping. And when I got there, you had already gotten on the plane."

"Well, I'll be home soon enough. Or maybe you could come visit here for a weekend soon, if you can convince your father. I have a single room, so we don't have to worry about being interrupted by any annoying roommates."

She frowned when he mentioned her father. "That sounds great, but I don't know. Angel, my dad knows about us. He put two and two together when I came back from the airport. And he wasn't happy about it."

Angel paled. "What did he say?"

"It's not for you to worry about. I told him it was totally my idea and that you shouldn't be punished for it. And I haven't spoken to him for the rest of the day. Frankly, I don't want to talk about him. Tell me about Emerson. What's it like?"

"Big," he laughed. "At least twice as big as UC Sunnydale, if not bigger. Lots of trees around. Beautiful campus, though."

"Sounds very inspiring."

"Nah. My inspiration is back in Sunnydale. But I have a lot of pictures of you to keep the creative juices flowing."

She widened her eyes. "Me? I'm your inspiration?"

"Yeah, you."

"Wow," she said. "Have you…met anyone yet?"

"You mean girls? I haven't seen a single soul since I got here, except for a few of the orientation guides. How many times do I have to tell you, Buffy, that I'm not going to meet anyone? You're the only think I can think of most of the time. I love you."

She felt a tear slip down her cheek. "I love you, too."

"I know you don't want to talk about your father, but he did something. Really nice and it shocked me."

"What?"

"Apparently, he spoke to the rental car company here in Boston and arranged for them to give me a brand new Ford Explorer. It's mine. He bought me a car."

"That wasn't my dad, Angel."

"Then who was it?"

She took a deep breath. "That was me. I couldn't bear the thought of you having to walk everywhere, especially with Boston being such a big city and everything. So I called up the rental car place there and bought you the car. I hope you like it."

"Like it? I love it. But you really didn't have to go to all that trouble."

"I wanted to." From outside, she heard a car door close. It was her father. "I gotta go. Dad's home."

He nodded in understanding. "Okay. I don't want to get you in any trouble."

"I'm already in enough trouble as it is."

"Then I don't want to get you in any more. I'll send you a letter this week with my address here and my phone number. Take care."

"Don't go falling for some gorgeous coed."

"It'll never happen. I love you, Buffy."

Buffy couldn't stop the tears this time around. "I love you more."

***

Three hours later, Angel sat at his desk, writing a letter to Buffy. He was so lost in his thoughts that he never heard the knocking at his door.

"Hi?"

Angel turned around when he heard the voice. Needless to say, he was more than a little shocked to find a pretty girl with long brown hair standing in his doorway. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," he apologized.

She smiled. "That's okay. You were deep in thought. I don't mean to interrupt you, but you're the first student I've seen since I got here. You and I seem to be the only ones on this floor."

"Oh. I haven't really walked around yet."

"God, I must seem really rude, waltzing in here and not even introducing myself. My name is Julia Michalek. Room 321."

"Well, Julia, I'm Angel Riches," he introduced himself. "Come on in. Make yourself at home."

She stepped inside. "Angel. That's quite a unique name."

"Sure. You try living with it."

Julia laughed at his comment. "No thanks. So, Angel, where are you from?"

"Sunnydale, California."

"Is that anywhere near L.A.?"

"Only a two hour drive up the coast. What about you?"

"A boring little town in New York, barely a speck on the map. Hardly even worth mentioning," she divulged. Walking over to his desk, she picked up a small framed picture of Buffy and Angel. "She's pretty. Your sister?"

Angel looked at the picture she was holding. "No, that's my girlfriend. It was taken at the Fourth of July Carnival."

"Oh." Julia was filled with disappointment. The moment she'd seen Angel, she felt an attraction to him, a spark she'd never felt before for anyone else. It was love at first sight. He was by far one of the most handsome men she'd ever laid eyes on. "Have you two been dating for a long time?"

"Almost five months now."

"That's not very long."

"You're right. But I'm completely devoted to her, and vice versa. Do you have somebody waiting for you back home?" he wanted to know.

"Hardly," Julia scoffed. "Bad breakup a few months back. I came here to start a brand new life. I didn't want anything holding me back."

Angel gave her a half-smile. "It's the opposite for me. Buffy wanted me to come here. If not for her, I'd still be in Sunnydale, going to school with her. Though I wish I had stayed. I miss her like crazy."

"She sounds like a great girl. Well, I'll let you get back to your brooding, Angel Riches. See you around. Maybe we'll do lunch this week."

"Sounds like fun."

As she walked out the door, Julia sighed. 'The most gorgeous guy I have ever seen and he's taken. Go figure.'

***


	33. Chapter 33

33

"There you are!" Cordelia exclaimed when she found her best friend sitting alone in the Student Union commissary. "I was wondering where you went to after Calculus this morning. You took off like a bat out of hell."

Buffy looked up from the pictures she was poring over. "Sorry I ran out like that, Cordy. I had to get to the darkroom and develop these pictures before someone else got in their first."

"Oh yeah, that's right. Your first portfolio is due on Friday, isn't it?"

"Yep."

She glanced at her friend's pictures. There were at least twenty or thirty black-and-white photographs sitting on the table in front of her. All the pictures were of smiling couples, including a few of herself and Xander, and Buffy and Angel. "What's the topic of it?"

"Isn't it obvious? Love."

"And you've included pictures of me and Xander? Why?"

"It's the different stages of love. Early, carefree love versus lifelong, utterly devotional love. Does that make any sense at all? It's stupid, I know. I should think up something more original."

Cordelia nodded. "No, it's a great topic. Actually, it does make sense. And I don't need to question which category you and Angel fit into." She looked over the photos for a little longer. "These are some great pictures, Buffy."

"They're okay, I guess."

"Then you're looking at something different because these kick ass. Looks like you've found your niche. Photography. You could be the next Herb Ritts."

Buffy shrugged. "Somehow, I doubt that."

"Okay. Might as well change the subject, Miss Modesty. So tell me, how's Angel doing?"

The mention of her boyfriend's name brought a smile to her face. "He's good. I didn't talk to him this week, though," Buffy told her. "We've both been really busy with school and stuff like that."

"Are you sure everything's okay? Did you have a fight or something? You just don't seem like yourself," the brunette noted.

"No, we didn't have a fight. It's…this long-distance relationship thing is harder than I thought. Talking to him on the phone just isn't cutting it, I suppose. Cordy, it's been a month since he left for Massachusetts and I'm miserable without him. I miss him like crazy."

"I know you do. It's obvious to everyone. But you've lived without him for so long. You'll make it."

She sadly shook her head. "I almost wish I hadn't told him to leave. Deep inside, I still have this fear of Angel meeting some beautiful girl and dumping me for her."

"That's crazy talk. You are the only thing that boy sees, trust me. Ask anyone; Xander, Melissa, his mother, anyone! No girl is ever going to come between you two." Cordelia checked the time on her watch. "Shit. I'm going to be late for Astronomy. Give me a call tonight?"

"Will do."

For half an hour after Cordelia left for class, Buffy sat at the table alone, trying to decide which pictures to use for her assignment. She was lost in her thoughts and did not see the approach of a tall, blonde-haired man.

"Excuse me, but don't I know you from somewhere?" he asked her.

She lifted her head upwards, staring at the good-looking man. His cerulean eyes were hypnotizing, Buffy nearly lost herself in them. Tall, muscular, bleach-blonde hair, and attractive. He was certainly handsome, she couldn't deny that. But in a different way from Angel. While her boyfriend was handsome in a rugged, classic way, this man was mysterious and dangerously handsome; a combination that would send any girl's heart racing.

"I'm sorry, I don't know. I don't think we've met," Buffy replied.

He smiled at her. "Oh, I know for a fact that we haven't met," the man said in a thick British accent. "A beauty like you, I could never forget your name."

Buffy blushed at his remarks. "You're too generous with your compliments."

"Not nearly generous enough, if you ask me. Honestly, though, I do believe you and I are in the same English class. Two o'clock with Professor Schmit?"

"Then I guess you're right. I'm sorry, but I don't remember seeing you there."

"I sit in the back of the classroom. Believe me, I've seen you. Haven't been able to take my eyes off of you since I first saw you walk in the door." He smiled flirtatiously at her. "When I saw you sitting here, I had to come over and introduce myself. My name is William. But you may call me Will. All my friends do."

"Buffy."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Buffy." Will saw the pictures scattered on the table. "You are a photographer, I take it?"

She frowned. "Amateur. It's for a class I'm taking."

"They're outstanding." He picked up a picture she'd taken of herself and Angel at the beach house before he'd left for school. "Ah, but you belong in front of the camera, not hidden behind it."

"I don't think so."

"Who is the man in the picture with you? A friend of yours?" he wanted to know.

"My boyfriend, actually."

Will raised his eyebrows. "And where is this boyfriend of yours?"

"In Boston attending school. He goes to Emerson College."

He nodded in understanding. "I see. A long-distance relationship. It must be difficult on the two of you."

"To say the least. I miss seeing him every day and hearing his voice. But I know he feels the same way I do."

"He'd have to. You will have to tell him what a lucky man he is, to be so close to you. Pardon me, my apologies for interrupting you. It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Buffy." Will took her hand in his and lightly kissed the back of it.

"Likewise."

"I hope to see you again. Whether it be in or outside of class."

"Me, too," Buffy agreed. "But I have a boyfriend."

"I'll have to remember that."

***

"Missy? Did you hear me?" Willow asked impatiently. Her friend was staring at something on the other side of the dining area.

Melissa broke out of her reverie. "What did you say, Will? I didn't hear you."

"Yeah, I noticed. I wanted to know if you'd heard from your brother recently. How's he doing? Loving Emerson?"

"Angel adores the place. Tuesday he called us and talked nonstop about some writing workshop he attended. Apparently he spoke to an author who had taken an interest in a story he wrote," Melissa explained.

Willow grinned. "That's great. Nobody deserves it more than him. He must he glad he went there after all."

"Angel'd never admit it to me, but I'm sure he is."

"He is still seeing Buffy, isn't he?"

"Yep." Inwardly, Melissa groaned. Her truce with her brother's girlfriend hadn't meant anything to her. It was simply a way to get her brother off her back about her behavior. "I know they talk on the phone all the time. But they've both been busy with school, he told me. It's kind of straining the relationship."

"Wow. Do you think it's going to last?" Willow wanted to know.

"Don't know. I mean, as much as I want it to, for Angel's sake, I have a bad feeling. It's a statistical fact that most long-distance relationships don't last. But after what he went through with Kelley, I know he's determined to make it work."

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Buffy talking to a handsome young man. She's been watching her brother's girlfriend while Willow was talking to her. Anger filled her at seeing the girl smiling at the other man. 'Looks like she's making some new friends. I could use that to my advantage. She and Angel aren't talking as much…she's meeting new people…good-looking guys…'

Willow followed Melissa's gaze. "Isn't that Buffy?"

Melissa nodded her head. "Uh-huh. Wonder who the guy is that she's talking to."

"Probably a friend from one of her classes," Willow assumed. She caught the expression on her friend's face. "You don't think she's cheating on Angel, do you?"

"Of course not!" Melissa knew that Buffy wouldn't do that to her brother, as much as she hated to admit it. The girl really did love Angel, she believed it. That didn't mean she had to like it. But Melissa was also aware that both Angel and Buffy were afraid of the other finding someone else. "He's probably just a friend, you're right, Willow."

***

"How's Mom doing?" Angel questioned when Melissa called him that night. "Is something wrong with her? Is that why you called me?"

"No, Mom's perfectly fine, don't worry. The doctor said everything's normal."

Angel knit his eyebrows together. Something didn't sit right. "Okay the, what is it? I know you too well, Missy, and you didn't call for no reason. Tell me."

She took a deep breath. All afternoon long, she had been preparing what she would say to her brother. "I-I don't quite know how to say it."

"Just tell me."

"But it'll hurt you. I don't want you to be hurt."

Angel was becoming impatient; his sister was giving him the runaround. "Melissa…"

"All right. Angel, I'm so sorry that I have to be the one to tell you this. It's about Buffy."

He filled with fear. "Did something happen to her? Was there an accident? Is she okay?" The thought of Buffy being hurt, or worse, sent him into a panic.

"There wasn't any kind of accident. She's fine. Better than fine, actually. Angel, she…she's seeing someone. And she is telling everyone it's over between you two," Melissa lied. 'Mission accomplished,' she thought. 'The bitch will be out of our lives for good.'

***


	34. Chapter 34

34

Angel didn't say anything for a full minute. His sister's words repeated in his mind over and over again. "How…what…when…I don't understand. Why would she do something like that?"

"I really don't know. I thought you two would make it." 'Yeah, right.'

"No," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "This can't be happening. We just spoke on the phone last week and everything was fine. Well, she was a little distant, but I figured it was because of school and that big project she has due."

"I didn't want you to find out like this, Angel. I hate having to be the one to tell you about it."

He slumped down on his bed, his entire body shaking. 'How can this be happening?' "Why?" Angel questioned, his eyes burning. "Buffy and I swore to each other we'd stay faithful while we were separated. Why would she do it?"

"I don't know," Melissa repeated.

"How do you know about this? Did Xander tell you? Or Willow?"

"I saw them today during lunch. They had their hands all over each other," she lied. All she had seen was an innocent, friendly kiss on the hand. But she couldn't tell Angel that.

"Oh god." He wanted to die. The mere thought of Buffy being with someone else hurt him more than anything in the world.

On the other end of the line, his sister was grinning like a Cheshire cat. 'He's buying it,' she thought. 'This is going to be easier than I thought it would be.' "Buffy should be the one telling you this, not me. I know you love her, but she's a two-timing bitch. Look at what she's doing to you. Gone only a month and already she's screwing some other guy. Angel, I don't want to say I told you so -"

"Then don't," he ordered, his voice raw with emotion. "I can't believe this is happening to me all over again. What's wrong with me?"

"There's nothing wrong with you!" Melissa assured her brother. "You're a great guy, but you've got rotten taste in women. You can't see what they're really like. And that's no reflection on you whatsoever."

"Then why does this keep happening to me?" he cried. "First Kelly dumps me for Parker. I can understand that and I know her reasons. I wasn't giving her what she needed. But with Buffy, I just don't get it. I gave her everything I had, I loved her more than anybody. We swore to each other we'd be faithful, she was going to transfer to Boston College so we could be closer to one another. Now suddenly, out of the blue, she meets some random guy and decides to throw all our dreams out the window? Was I not good enough for her? What?!"

"You're too good for her. She's a spoiled, snobby princess who is used to getting what she wants when she wants it."

Harsh reality hit Angel like a ton of bricks. "I was nothing but a toy. A new game to play during the summer. She set out to make me love her and I did. She succeeded."

"I'm sorry," apologized Melissa. "Buffy should be the one telling you this, not me."

"It was supposed to be forever," he muttered. "We were going to show everyone."

"I hate her for making you feel this way. She made a fool out of you, even worse than Kelley did."

He couldn't listen to it any longer. His heart was shattered in a million pieces, and all he wanted to do was be alone; away from anyone or anything that reminded him of Buffy. "Good-bye," he said, barely above a whisper. Without another word, he hung up the telephone and let the tears fall from their confines.

***

Julia had been waiting in her room for nearly twenty minutes. Angel was late, and that was not like him at all. The two of them were going to a local club; she had been trying for weeks to get him to go with her, always to no avail.

'I finally convince him to go out with me and he chickens out,' she said to herself. 'No way. That boy spends enough time in that room of his. He needs to stop brooding and start partying.'

Closing her dorm room door behind her, she headed to the boys' wing of her floor. In her mind, she thought up all the different lines she'd use to make him feel guilty for standing her up. Knocking twice on his partially open door, Julia entered.

"I cannot believe you're backing out on your promise!" she accused. "Why would you stand me…"

She stopped talking the second she saw her friend. He was sitting with his head in his hands. Muffled sobs could be heard coming from him. "Angel?"

He looked up, showing her his bloodshot brown eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "I'm…I can't tonight, Jules. I'm sorry."

Julia reached behind her to close his door, knowing he would want privacy. "What's wrong?"

"Melissa called," he managed to choke out.

The worst possible scenario entered her mind. "It's your mom, isn't it? Did something happen to her?" She knew how sick Mrs. Riches was, and how guilty Angel felt about being so far away.

Solemnly, Angel shook his head. "No. It's…it's Buffy."

"Did something happen to *her*?"

"Is there something wrong with me?" he wanted to know.

The question shocked her. "Why would you ask me something like that?"

Angel sniffled. "Why do they keep doing this to me? Am I not enough for them? I gave them both everything and that still wasn't enough? What more do they want?"

"I don't understand what you're asking. Who's 'they'?"

"Girls."

Julia nodded. "Buffy did something, didn't she? Is that why you're so upset? It'll all blow over. I'm sure of it."

"No, it won't," he said. "Buffy…she's seeing someone else back in Sunnydale. And it's over."

She sat down next to him, adjusting her tight black miniskirt so that it didn't ride up on her. "Angel, I'm so sorry. I know how much you love her."

"Again…it's happening again. Why is this always happening to me?"

"Again?" she repeated. "She did this to you before?"

Fresh tears began to fall freely. "Kelley cheated on me."

'His ex-girlfriend,' Julia recalled. 'How awful for him. Don't these girls know how lucky they are? Angel's the perfect guy and they keep screwing him over.' "They don't deserve you, then."

"I love her so much," he professed. "Buffy is everything in the world to me. We've done everything together; we made love for the first time together and we went through hell together. How can that not mean anything to her, after all we've been through?"

Julia got up off the bed and grabbed several tissues from the box on Angel's desk. When she sat back down again, she wiped the tears from his eyes. "I don't know. Maybe she couldn't wait for you."

"Missy said she's telling everybody it's over between us."

She raised her eyebrows. "Your sister told you about this? Not Buffy?"

"No. Missy called half an hour ago."

"I thought you said once that Missy doesn't like Buffy."

"She doesn't. Well, she didn't used to like her. They called a truce over the summer," Angel informed her. "For me."

"Is it possible that Melissa lied to you about Buffy? From what you have told me, you and Buffy are really devoted to one another. It doesn't sound like it's possible for her to cheat on you."

"No way," Angel disagreed. "Missy knows how much it would hurt me if she lied about it. And I know her. My sister may not be Buffy's biggest fan, but she would never purposely hurt me." He wiped the tears away with the back of his hand. "Julia, it hurts so much I wanna die."

She rubbed his back in a show of comfort. "Shh. Don't say stuff like that. People need you, Angel. "*I* need you. You're the best friend I've got here."

Angel looked deep into her big green eyes and found the solace and support he needed. "Jules, I…"

He let the sentence trail off, bringing his lips to hers instead. The act took Julia by surprise; it was the last thing she expected him to do. 'We shouldn't be doing this,' she thought. 'But how can I stop when I've wanted this since I first met him?'

His lips were soft, just like she'd imagined they would be, and tasted salty from his tears. Their kiss was gentle, sweet and promised passion. Her mouth opened to invite his tongue inside, and he lost himself in the act of kissing her. Angel's hands slipped from her shoulders to find the buttons of her red midriff blouse. When he successfully unbuttoned the top button, she pushed him away, unable to let it go any further.

"We can't do this, Angel," she said once she caught her breath.

He only gazed at her. "I don't…why? Don't you want to?"

And she did want to. Since the first time she'd laid eyes on him, Julia had fantasized about him, about them. In every one of her dreams, Angel broke up with his girlfriend and realized it was her he loved. They'd kiss and make love for hours until they spent their passion, falling asleep in one anothers' arms.

"I can be here for you, but not like that," she told him. "You're hurt and I don't want to take advantage of the situation."

Angel didn't say anything right away. "So it is me after all."

"No," she said, shaking her head in disagreement. "It's not you, trust me on this. I just don't want you to do something tonight that you'll write off as a weak moment tomorrow morning."

"Julia -"

"I refuse to be your rebound girl."

Her words brought more tears to his eyes. "She was afraid of that. Buffy thought at the beginning that she was the rebound girl because we started going out right after Kelley broke up with me."

Julia brought his head to her shoulder, letting him cry on her. "It'll be okay, Angel. You'll get through this. I know it seems hopeless right now, but it'll all work out."

"I love her," he stated simply.

"Then she's a fool for giving up on your love. You're going to make some lucky girl very happy one of these days. And Buffy's going to realize how stupid she was for letting you go."

Angel shook his head. "I can't go back there. I can never go back."

"You can and you will. Just give your wounds some time to heal."

"They'll never heal."

"Yes they will. What you need is closure."

"Closure? The only girl I have ever truly loved dumped me for some guy she met after only a month away from me. I'd say that's closure."

She frowned, hearing the hurt and agony in his voice. "Well, you're a writer. Write your feelings out, tell your side of the story. And once it's done, burn it. You can do it, Angel. Pour your heart and soul into it, every part of you that she controls, and then destroy it. It's the only way to get over her," Julia suggested. "Aside from finding someone else. Writing is more healthy than jumping into a new relationship."

Angel understood. "Write our story…you're right. I *can* do it. I'll put Buffy Summers behind me."

But a voice in the back of his mind told him it was easier said than done.

***


	35. Chapter 35

35

_// The idea of being paired up with Bethany Sanford put a sense of dread deep inside Adam's heart. There was nothing he wanted *less* than to work with her. His best friend had only laughed at his misfortune while other members of the class offered sympathetic glances his way. It was Adam's worst nightmare come true. The last thing he wanted to do was work with the Ice Princess of Porter High School. _

_"I'm as excited about this as you are," he told Bethany. "Working with you isn't exactly my dream here." _

_"It's not exactly mine, either," Bethany replied. _

_He grimaced. "Since we're here, we might as well make the best of it." _

_"Might as well. Wanna meet at my house? Say around two-thirty? We can sift through my dad's library and see what we can come up with." _

_"Fine," Adam said. "The quicker we start this project, the quicker we'll finish. Less time we'll have to spend together." _

_Returning to his seat diagonal from her, Adam couldn't see the look of disappointment written on Bethany's face.\\_

Angel read over what he had just written. Taking Julia's advice, he had begun writing his and Buffy's story two weeks earlier, shortly after his sorrow had allotted him the energy. In the three weeks since he heard the news about Buffy and her new boyfriend, Angel had been trying to move past his grief, which hadn't been easy. The pain he felt in his heart - from his love's betrayal - would never go away. He truly believed he would never get over her.

'That's not how it happened,' Angel thought after he had re-read the scene. 'Buffy never did that. She was uninterested, not mean. God, why can't I get this right? I lived it, it shouldn't be all that hard to remember what we said to each other. I can remember everything else clear as day. Every word, every smile, every touch…'

Highlighting the words with his mouse, Angel pressed the DELETE key and the marked text disappeared. With his fingers poised over the home keys, he prepared to write the scene over again. But the ringing of the telephone caused him to stop.

He looked over at his Caller I.D. to see who it was. Buffy. Sighing, he closed his eyes as if in pain. She called nearly every single night, but Angel always refused to pick up the phone, knowing that if he did, Buffy would tell him that it was over between them. And he didn't want to hear it.

'I shouldn't let her get to me. I have the power here. Maybe if I keep not answering the telephone, she'll stop calling. Then she will think I met someone and she can't break up with me. I'll break her heart before she has a chance to break mine. Buffy won't win. I won't let her,' Angel swore.

"Hi, you've reached Angel's room. I stepped out for a couple minutes, but if you leave your name and number, along with a brief message, I'll call you back as soon as I get in," his answering machine stated.

There was a momentary pause after the beep. "Angel, it's me. Buffy. I…you haven't returned any of my phone calls and I really need to talk to you. I'm sure you're very busy with school and everything, but could you call me back whenever you get this message? It doesn't matter what time you call, I'll be home all night long."

Angel listened to her message, and the sound of her voice triggered something inside of him. All of his anger and hurt seemed to disappear upon hearing Buffy's sweet voice. He wanted to pick up the phone and tell her how much he loved her and needed her, even if she didn't feel it back. Maybe then the breakup wouldn't happen.

Her message continued. "I love you. And I miss you, so please, please call me back. I need to hear your voice. Love you. Bye."

After she hung up, Angel stared at the phone, wishing he had picked it up. "Love you," he repeated scornfully. His anger had returned the instant he stopped hearing her voice. "I loved you a hell of a lot more than you ever loved me."

***

The next night after dinner, Buffy pulled her car into the Riches' driveway. She was determined to find out what was wrong with Angel and why he hadn't returned any of her phone calls. Possible scenarios went through her mind, none of which she liked very much.

Knocking on the screen door in the front of the house, she waited patiently for either Mrs. Riches or Melissa to answer the door. They were home, she knew that for a fact, both cars were sitting in the driveway.

Melissa walked to the door when she heard the doorbell chime. When she saw who it was, an evil, devious smile played upon her lips, but she wiped it off before she came into sight. "Buffy, hi," she greeted cheerfully. "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry for bothering you, Melissa."

"It's no bother. I was inside doing my Biology homework and Mom went to bed early. What can I do for you?"

Buffy smiled sheepishly. "I was hoping maybe you could help me out with something. It's about your brother."

"I'll do my best."

"Thank you. Is he…okay? I mean, is something going on at Emerson that I should know about? Did something happen to Angel, maybe?" she asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"For the past three weeks, I haven't been able to get in touch with him," Buffy informed Melissa. "I've left dozens of messages and he hasn't returned any of them. And I thought that something might have happened. *Did* something happen? Should I be worried?"

Melissa shook her head. "No, Angel's fine. He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I thought he told you. I'm such an idiot; he said he was planning on telling you weeks ago."

"He was gonna tell me what, Melissa? Come on, you can't stop now. It has to do with me, doesn't it?"

Somberly, Melissa nodded her head. 'This is going to be so much fun,' she thought. 'Seeing the expression on Buffy's face is going to be worth it.' "Yeah, it does. I just can't believe Angel hasn't told you about her."

"Her?"

"Julia. She's a girl on his floor at school. They sort of hit it off at orientation and…"

She raised her eyebrows. "And?" she prodded. Fear gripped her insides at what Melissa was about to say to her. Deep inside, Buffy knew what was coming next.

"Buffy, they started seeing each other. It's only been three weeks, but they're pretty serious."

Buffy clutched her stomach, feeling nauseous for the second time that day. "No. You're joking with me. Angel wouldn't do that to me. It's supposed to be forever. We swore we'd stay faithful to one another."

'I swear, those two are sharing a brain or something. Both of them said the exact same thing.' "Angel should have been the one to tell you. I thought he had. I'm sorry."

"What-what did he say, exactly?" She trusted Angel's sister, believing that their truce over the summer had been genuine. Buffy had absolutely no reason to think that Melissa was trying to break up her and Angel; the thought never entered her mind.

"Not much. She's an aspiring actress -"

"I don't care about her!" Buffy exploded. "What did Angel say about me? About us? Is it really over?"

"Just that he met Julia and it was love at first sight. He feels really bad about having to hurt you, but he's very glad you made him go away and the money your dad gave him was extremely helpful. But…he said you were a stepping stone, a means to an end."

She cast her eyes to the ground. "The rebound girl," she mumbled. "No matter how many times he told me otherwise, I knew it. I never meant a thing to him. Not a damn thing."

"My brother is a jerk for hurting you like this, especially after all you've given to him. You gave him his self-confidence back, love, money and a chance to live out his dreams. And this is how he repays you."

Buffy backed away. "I can't hear anything else. Tell Angel he's about to lose…never mind, don't tell him anything. I have to live with this now. This is something I'll have to deal with on my own."

"I'm sorry," Melissa apologized.

"Not half as sorry as I am. I should have known. I knew he'd meet someone else. All his promises never meant a thing. *I* never meant a thing."

Melissa watched as Buffy trudged to her car. She had never seen anyone look so devastated. A small part of her felt guilty, but she knew what she had done was to help her brother find someone more suitable. 'Bye bye,' she said to herself. 'Now Angel can meet someone who deserves him. The Ice Princess should've known she didn't stand a chance in hell with my brother.'

***

Mr. Summers was concerned. Buffy hadn't left her room in over twelve hours; hadn't come downstairs to greet him when he came home from work the night before, didn't join him for breakfast and refused to attend classes in the morning. Granted, he knew she was still upset with him about the 'Angel situation', but holing herself up in her bedroom wasn't like Buffy.

He softly knocked on her bedroom door. "Honey? Are you okay? Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine" came the muffled reply.

"I have to go to Los Angeles for the day, would you like to come with me? I'll drop you off on Rodeo Drive and you can buy whatever you want. On me, of course."

Had she not been so brokenhearted, Buffy would have jumped at the chance of going on a shopping spree. "No thanks. I wanna be by myself for today." 'And every other day for the rest of my life.'

"Okay then. See you tonight."

He went back downstairs, wondering what was wrong with his daughter. It had sounded as if Buffy had been crying, but he couldn't be sure. 'Must be something seriously upsetting if she doesn't want to go shopping,' Mr. Summers said to himself. 'I'll let her be today, but come tomorrow I will make her tell me.'

As he was opening the front door on his way out, he found Buffy's best friend walking up the steps. "Good afternoon, Cordelia," Mr. Summers greeted.

"Hi," she replied with a cheerful smile. "Is Buffy home? She wasn't in class today and I stopped by to see if everything was okay."

"She's upstairs in her bedroom. I don't know what's going on with her, she wouldn't say. But she hasn't left her room since last night and won't tell me what's wrong. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did."

"I can't guarantee anything, but I'll try. Buffy could never keep a secret from me. I'll pry it out of her."

He smiled and nodded. "Thank you. It's times like this when I wish Buffy had a mother to talk to. Joyce would know exactly what to say."

"Don't worry, I'll find out."

She stepped inside the house and headed straight for her best friend's bedroom. The door was tightly closed, but Cordelia could hear low sounds coming from inside.

"Buffy?" she called. "It's me, Cordy. Can I come in?"

Ten seconds went by before she got an answer. "Sure. Yeah. Come in."

Cordelia opened the door, finding Buffy sitting Indian-style on her bed, wearing a gray shirt and black pants. A mahogany-framed picture sat in her lap. Her green eyes were red and puffy with tears, her cheeks stained black from running mascara.

"You've been crying," she stated rather than questioned. "What happened?"

Buffy took a deep breath and began to open her mouth to speak, but tears fell instead. Deciding to let her friend get her emotions out, the brunette picked up the picture, wanting to see who it was of, thinking it was the reason for the tears. She, at first, thought it would be of Mrs. Summers, but was shocked to see that it was Buffy and Angel. Then she understood.

"It's Angel, isn't it?" guessed Cordelia.

Buffy only nodded her head, unable to speak the words.

"Did something happen to him? Was there an accident of some sort? He's not dead, is he?"

"He's…not…dead," she said between sniffles. "In fact…Angel's…better than good."

"Then what's wrong? Why are you crying? Is it because you miss him?"

She wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand. "We made promises to each other. Together forever, no matter how much my dad tried to keep us apart, no matter what happened, we'd stay together."

"Buffy -"

"I was supposed to transfer to Boston College in the spring so we could be closer to one another. He and I made all kinds of plans, like getting an off-campus apartment, and getting married after we graduated. We talked about having children, having a *lot* of them! And now it'll never happen."

"You're overreacting, Buff. You dad isn't still mad at you about the whole 'Angel thing'. I think maybe a part of him admires what you did. You and Angel triumphed over adversity, so to speak. All for the sake of true love," Cordelia said to her.

She couldn't hold it in, not after all the things her best friend had just said. "Angel cheated on me!" she blurted out.

"What?" Cordelia was dumbfounded.

"Yeah, he found someone else. Some girl he met at orientation his first week there. Julia-something. Love at first sight, as cliched as it sounds."

Cordelia shook her head. "No way. He wouldn't do that. Not after Kelley did it to him. How can he do that to you when he knows how it feels, how awful it feels?"

"He did." Her face burned from the welled-up tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall. "Angel didn't even have the decency to tell me himself. Melissa told me last night."

"You heard this from Melissa? And you actually believe her? That girl would love to break you two up."

"It's true, everything she told me. I really *was* his rebound girl."

She sat down on the bed in front of Buffy. "That is *so* not true. Angel loves you."

"No, he doesn't. All I did was keep his mind off Kelley until someone better came along. This-this Julia girl. And now he's using my father's money to buy her everything she wants. Romantic dinners, jewelry, probably a house!"

"He wouldn't do that. Melissa is lying to you."

"If she's lying, then why hasn't he called me? It's been three weeks and I haven't heard a word from him. I've left messages upon messages on his answering machine. And not a single word in reply. If it's all just a lie, wouldn't Angel have called me? Wouldn't he?"

"That's…that…no way."

"Yes."

Cordelia sighed. It was all so hard to believe. Angel cheating on Buffy with some other girl? The gall of him astounded her. 'How could he use her that way, after he knew how she felt?' "Buffy, he's a fool. A big jerk, if you ask me. He made all these plans with you, and he forgets them for the first pretty girl who bats her eyelashes at him? What an asshole."

Buffy bit her lip. "Don't say stuff like that about him. You don't have to make him the bad guy."

"But that's the best friend's job. Vilifying and grousing."

"I-I can't. It's…it's so hard trying to imagine my life without him. I've been in love with him for the better part of thirteen years." Buffy let the tears fall. "All to be some summer fling for him."

"I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through. It must be horrible for you."

Buffy looked her best friend in the eye. "I think horrible is still coming. Right now it's worse. Right now I'm just trying to keep from dying."

"Oh, Buffy."

Cordelia put her arms out to comfort her grieving friend. Instead of hugging her, Buffy rested her head on her legs and cried into the denim material of Cordelia's pants. "I can't breathe, Cordy. I feel like I can't breathe," she sobbed.

There was nothing she could say that would make her feel better. So Cordelia placed one hand on Buffy's shoulder and stroked her blonde hair with the other. "Shh. You'll get through this. I'll help you."

"I just wanna die. I don't want to live if he's not a part of my life."

A horrible thought went through Cordelia's mind. "Don't do it. You have too much to live for, Buffy. Please, don't do anything drastic over a stupid guy."

Buffy looked up at her with questions in her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Suicide. Don't you even think it. There's plenty of other guys out there who'd give anything to be with you. You just have to find one."

"I wasn't…I could never do something like that. I'd never kill myself."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god. The way you were talking, I thought you might want to…well, forget it."

"No. There's too much for me here, too much to live for. My friends, my family, school, etc.. I love Angel, and yes, I'd die for him. I'll always love him. Even if he's not with me, I have a piece of him with me. Nobody will be able to take that away. Nobody."

***


	36. Chapter 36

36

_//The last thing Adam Robertson ever expected was to love and be loved in return by Bethany Sanford. They had next to nothing in common, save for the fact that they grew up in the same town and attended the same high school. They were from two completely different worlds; Bethany, the daughter of a wealthy businessman, and Adam, a poor young man from the wrong side of the tracks. He was a loner, intelligent but almost always kept to himself. She was popular, but quiet, a beautiful girl who never thought of herself as such, with more ex-boyfriends than she could count. Separately, they were fire and ice, polar opposites. Together, they sparkled and erupted, a combustible force to be reckoned with.\\ _

_*** _

_//Thirteen year old Bethany carried her lunch tray to an empty table in the middle of the cafeteria. She had nobody to sit with, her best friends, Catherine Cutler and Hope Krandall, were in the next lunch period, so she sat by herself, either reading a book or watching enviously as the other students talked and laughed and ate. There was nothing she wanted more than to be one of those laughing students. But they never let her into their group. _

_She sat down and picked up her grilled cheese sandwich, preparing to take a bite of it. As she raised it to her mouth, a balled-up piece of notebook paper hit her sandwich, and an eruption of laughter followed. _

_"Blubber Butt!" someone called. "Time for a diet, don't you think?" _

_Bethany took several deep breaths, trying to keep her emotions under control. No way did she want to show them her fear or her anger. 'Ignore them and maybe they'll go away,' she told herself. _

_From the table of students directly in front of Bethany, Melanie Robertson turned around to face her. "Hey, Princess, didn't you hear him?" _

_"Shut up, Melanie," Bethany croaked out. _

_"You know, they say if you stop eating altogether, your body feeds off its fat stores. Given a couple of weeks, you might lose enough weight to fit into a size thirty!" _

_She hung her head. It wasn't her fault she was overweight. But every time someone made fun of her about it, she would go home from school and eat until the pain and humiliation went away. _

_"Melanie, that's enough. Leave Bethany alone," a boy's voice said from the other end of the table. "If I were you, I wouldn't talk. You're not perfect either." _

_It was Melanie's brother Adam who was sticking up for her. Adam Robertson, the smartest boy in the eighth grade; Adam Robertson, with his dark brown hair and chocolate eyes; Adam Robertson, the boy Bethany had dreamed about every night since she was five years old. _

_He picked up his lunch and sat down at Bethany's table, choosing the seat across from her. "I'm sorry about Melanie." _

_"That's okay. I'm used to it by now." _

_"Can I sit with you?" he asked. _

_"They'll make fun of you, too." _

_He smiled. "No they won't. Not if they know what's good for them. Besides, right about now, I don't want to be seen with my so-called friends. The stuff they are saying is downright mean and untrue. You shouldn't listen to them." _

_Bethany shook her head. "No, they're right. I'm fat." _

_"No, you're not. Nobody's perfect, you know." _

_"I don't know about that. Your sister seems pretty close." 'I wish I looked like her.' _

_Adam leaned his head toward hers. "I'll let you in on a little secret about Melanie. She has to wear head gear at night because her teeth are so crooked." _

_She laughed. "You're joking." _

_"Scout's honor." He looked closely at her. "You have a really pretty smile, Bethany. You should do it more often. Smile, that is." _

_"Thank you," she replied shyly. _

_"You're welcome. Trust me, when we get into high school, you'll be breaking hearts left and right. I bet you'll even be Prom Queen when we're seniors." _

_She shook her head once more. "I doubt it. I'll never be Prom Queen. I'm not pretty enough." _

_"We'll see about that. Are you going to the eighth grade dance? It's the last dance before we graduate." _

_"I don't know," Bethany responded. "Catherine and Hope want me to go with them, but I haven't decided yet." _

_Adam smiled at her. "Well, if you do decide to go, would you save me a dance?" _

_"Sure." _

_"I'm giving you fair warning, though, Bethany. I have two left feet and I might step on you. Truth is, I can't dance to save my life. Melanie gave up trying to teach me. Guess I'm not perfect either." _

_"That's okay. I can't dance very well myself."\\ _

_*** _

_//He was filled with both passion and dread. Never before had two such different emotions clutched his heart at the same time, both with equal strength and vigor. Part of him was panicking, fearful of what was to come. Another part was perfectly content, blissfully happy about the recent turn of events. _

_They'd only been together for three weeks, hardly a drop in the bucket when compared to the amount of time he had been with Kristine. And it was less than twenty-four hours since he and Bethany expressed their feelings for one another. She loved him; had for thirteen years and Adam had never known. Hell, he never even suspected she had those types of feelings for him. He himself was shocked when he realized he was in love with her, too. And now they were about to culminate their love for one another by making love for the first time. _

_That was what filled Adam with such dread. Certainly he loved Bethany with all his heart and soul, and wanted to share that experience with her. He couldn't deny that. But he was terrified, despite the fact that he loved Bethany. There was a reason. _

_He was a virgin. _

_After dating Kristine for three years, they had never gone all the way. It simply wasn't something he wanted, or needed. And it drove his first love into the arms - and bed - of another man. With Bethany, though, he wanted and needed to physically show her how deep his love for her ran. What terrified Adam was the mere thought of doing something wrong and disappointing her. _

_Bethany had had other lovers before him, that he was sure of. For years, he'd heard the guys at school talking about their experiences with her. Her talented mouth, roaming hands, arousing body; she was experienced in matters of sex. Adam was not. _

_'What if I mess up?' he asked himself as he felt Bethany's hands run up and down his bare back, still wet from the rain outside. 'How can boring old me compare to some of the guys she's been with? There's no way I can. I'll disappoint her and lose my true love forever, I just know it.' \\ _

_*** _

_//Across the crowded dance floor, he caught sight of her. Her back was to him, but Adam knew it was Bethany just by the long blonde curls cascading down her back. He had to see her, had to say something to her. Had to tell her. _

_"Beth?" he said when he stood behind her. He was close enough to touch her, close enough to physically turn her around and crush his mouth to hers. _

_She turned to face him. "Adam," she whispered. Her heart fluttered upon seeing her love. _

_The ten years that had passed since their heart-wrenching breakup hadn't changed her all that much. Bethany's hair had grown several inches and she'd lost any semblance of baby fat she'd once had. If anything, she had grown more beautiful in his eyes. _

_Adam held out his hand to her. "Would you dance with me? For old time's sake, of course." _

_She nodded. "I'd be honored to." _

_Guiding her to the dance floor, Adam found an empty space and pulled her into his arms. With her body moving as one with his, he felt like he had returned home. Right there in her arms was where he was meant to be. _

_"How have you been?" he wanted to know. _

_She shrugged. "I'm okay. It's been a rough few years." _

_Adam frowned. "I heard about your husband. I am sorry about that. A plane crash, how awful for you. And for him. You have my deepest sympathies." _

_"Thanks. I'm fine now. Michael had just filed for divorce when it happened, we were having some major problems at the time." _

_"I had no idea." _

_"Not many people did. We kept up a happy facade for my father's sake. But there was no love there," she told him. "What about you? Have you had better luck in the marriage department than I did?" _

_Adam shook his head. "Nobody else has ever captured my heart like you did. And nobody ever will." _

_"Adam…" _

_"No, Beth, let me say this. There's been nobody else. I never got over losing you. I loved you ten years ago, I love you now and I will love you until the day I die. Whether you feel the same way or not." _

_She lifted her head from his shoulder to look him in the eye. "Me, too. That's why Michael was divorcing me, because I was still in love with you. And I still am." _

_"Why?" he asked. "If we love each other still, why didn't we make it work?" _

_"Long distance relationships don't work out, Adam. It was a longshot, we both knew that when you left town. Distance tore us apart." _

_"Do you still love me?" _

_She nodded her head. "Yes. I never stopped, not for a minute." _

_"Then what is stopping us from trying again? Absolutely nothing. If we love each other, we can make it work. I can move back to town, or you can move to New York with me. You are the only reason I even came to this reunion. And I won't leave without you." _

_"I love you. I don't care where we are, as long as we're together. What do you say we leave this place and have our own private reunion at my house?"\\ _

***

Angel tried to gauge Julia's expression when she put the last page of his book down on the bed, on top of the other pages she had just finished. "Well? What do you think?"

***


	37. Chapter 37

37

Julia stared at her friend for what seemed like forever before giving any kind of an answer. She was dumbfounded at what she had just read.

Angel, on the other hand, was worried when she didn't say anything. "Jules? Is something wrong? Was it that bad?" It was the first time he'd let anybody read his work and the wait was nerve-wracking.

"That…that really happened? All of it?" she asked.

He nodded his head. "Yeah, for the most part. Everything except for the ending is completely true. I couldn't have made it up if I'd tried."

"All of it…wow. I never thought that could happen to anyone. It was like something out of Days of Our Lives or some show like that. A guy and a girl from opposite sides of town falling in love, even though everyone else wanted them to break up. Did your parents actually go out back in high school or was that for dramatic effect?"

"Really happened. Dated for a month or two when they were eighteen. It's a small world after all."

"It amazes me, though. Buffy was in love with you for years and she dumps all of it - her hopes and dreams for half her life - after being away from you for only a month? There's a fly in that logic ointment somewhere. Maybe her dad got to her and convinced her to go out with that guy and Melissa saw it and took it to mean she wanted it to be over."

With a shake of his head, Angel disagreed. He'd gone over every possible reason for Buffy leaving him, and none of them made any sense. "I don't think so. If that were the case, Buffy wouldn't have been telling anyone who'd listen that it was over between us. It's not like her."

"You're probably right. You know her better than I do." She paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. "That book, it reads like fiction. You'd never think it really happened. It grips you and doesn't let go. You have an amazing talent, Angel. I couldn't put it down. I could tell it was written from the heart and not the mind."

Angel frowned. "It's what you told me to do. Now it's time for the next step in the healing process."

"What next step?" Julia wanted to know.

"Letting go of the past. I'm going to burn it."

Julia picked up the three hundred pages he had written, holding them against her breast. "You can't do that. I won't let you do it. Forget what I said about taking the next step."

"What are you doing? Give me the pages so I can end this once and for all."

She shook her head. "Not on your life. You poured your heart and soul into this book and now that it's done, you want to destroy all of your hard work? It's not gonna happen. This is too good to end up in a wastebasket."

"What do you expect me to do with it? Keep it? No, I lived it, thank you very much. Every last word is etched into my memory. I have no need for it, now let me burn the pages," Angel said to her.

"I want to keep it."

"Excuse me? Why?"

"Because I want to, okay?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "I want to re-read it. Is that okay with you?"

He relented. "Go right ahead. Just don't mention it to me. I'd kinda like to forget it, if at all possible. Promise me you'll burn it when you're done."

"Deal. What do you say you and I got out to celebrate? It's not every day one of my friends writes his first novel. Come on, it'll be my treat."

"Thanks, but no thanks."

She glanced curiously into his eyes. "You know, Angel, it's been over a year. Don't you think the mourning period is over? It's time to go out there and meet someone."

"I don't feel like going out."

"Well, you certainly aren't going to meet anyone when you're in your room, brooding twenty-four/seven, are you?" she asked pointedly.

"I don't want to meet anyone."

With an aggravated sigh, Julia placed her hand on his shoulder. "You still love her, don't you? Never mind, don't answer that, because I already know the answer to that question. I want you to listen to me. I'm your friend and I care about you too much to see you like this. You and Buffy broke up fifteen months ago. You're going to have to face the world sometime."

"I'm not ready to."

"You're stuck in limbo, do you realize that? Angel, you haven't even been home to see your family since the breakup. You took summer courses and stayed here for winter break. Don't you think you should face your demons back in Sunnydale? Lay the past to rest, so to speak."

"I'm a hell of a lot happier here by myself. Besides, my mom and sister came here to visit me for Christmas. I've seen them," he stated.

"You're miserable, though. Don't pretend I don't see it, 'cause I do. What you need is to get out of here and meet someone who'll take your mind off of her."

"Julia, you don't get it. I've had two girlfriends my entire life, starting from the age of fourteen. I loved them both and gave them everything I possibly could. And do you know where that got me? Nowhere. They both fucked me over. So, pardon me for wanting a little time to myself," Angel exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. I-I won't bring it up again," she apologized.

***

Angel knocked on the open door to Professor Lockley's office. "Professor? You wanted to see me?"

The young, pretty, blonde-haired professor looked up from the papers she was grading. "Yes. Please, come in and have a seat. Would you mind closing the door behind you?"

He did as the professor asked of him. "I got the message you left for me on my answering machine. Is there something I can do for you?" It had seemed strange to Angel that she had called him. He'd never taken a single one of her courses.

"It's more along the lines of the other way around, Angel. I believe I can do something for you," Professor Lockley told him.

"I'm afraid I'm not following."

"A friend of yours is in my Creative Fiction course on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Julia Michalek."

Angel nodded. "Yeah, she's one of my good friends."

"A few weeks ago, she stopped by my office and asked me to read something one of her friends had written. I could never turn down the opportunity to read something fresh and new, so I, of course, agreed." She picked up the stack of pages in the corner of her desk, holding them up for him to see. "Do you recognize it, Angel?"

He saw the title page. FIRE AND ICE by Angel Riches. It was his book. "It's mine, that's the book I wrote. Julia gave it to you?"

"She wanted me to read it, as I said."

"I'm gonna kill her," he muttered.

"When I read it, I was in awe that a nineteen-year old could write something this brilliant. You have a colorful imagination and quite a way with words for someone so young. Which is why I sent it to a friend of mine at Pocket Books. He's a literary agent who is always on the lookout for new talent. Quite often, when I am impressed with a student's work, I'll send it to him. I certainly hope you don't mind that I have let him read it."

Angel's jaw dropped. "You sent him my story?" 'That story is so personal and private…now people I don't even know are reading it. They're reading my thoughts and feelings, reading about my love for Buffy.'

"Like I said before, I hope you don't mind. You are a very talented writer, which I'm sure is why you were accepted here at Emerson. A great number of graduates have gone on to become award-winning authors. That being the case, I figured you wouldn't mind. Perhaps that was your goal all along."

"It is. One of my dreams has always been to be a writer. And no, I don't mind. It's just a little disconcerting, that's all."

Professor Lockley smiled. "I don't doubt it. Anyway, I received a call from him last night. He's interested in publishing your book, Angel."

"What?" Angel wasn't sure if he'd heard correctly.

"He wants to publish it. His name is Daniel Markins." She handed him a business card. "This is his phone number. Daniel wants you to call him and set up a meeting so you can go over the specifics of the publication."

"I…I'm speechless, Professor Lockley."

"This type of thing doesn't happen every day. You're one of the few, one of the lucky. Angel, this might very well be it. You are truly on your way."

'A published author by nineteen years old,' he thought. 'If only I could tell Buffy. She'd be so proud that I achieved my goal. She really did make my dreams come true. Except for one. I can't share it with her.'

***


	38. Chapter 38

38

Cordelia squeezed Buffy's hand as they walked through the mall two days before Christmas. "Thank you *so* much for coming with me while I do all this last-minute shopping."

"No problem. I know what a procrastinator you are," Buffy said. "Besides, I needed a reason to get out of the house."

"Yeah, tell me about it! It's like pulling teeth to get you to go out anywhere these days."

"Sorry," she responded half-heartedly. "I guess there hasn't been too much reason for me to go out lately. It's a lot easier to stay in. With you away at school and Harmony in New York trying her hand at acting, there isn't anybody here for me."

At the beginning of their sophomore year, Cordelia transferred to UCLA to study drama. Buffy, despite her plans to move to Boston, remained at UC Sunnydale, studying photography.

"Are you trying to give me a guilt trip about going away to school? Because frankly, my dear, after a year and a half, it's not going to work."

Buffy smiled. "I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. I had my chance to leave and I didn't. That was my choice and I have to live with it."

"That's not your fault," Cordelia reminded her. "Circumstances beyond your control and all that stuff. It wasn't like you planned on it happening."

"Doesn't make me feel any better. I don't know, maybe I'm getting nostalgic for high school. Life seemed a lot simpler back then."

Cordelia bit her lip. "Right now probably isn't the best time to bring this up, but I thought you'd like to know."

"Know what?" Buffy asked, her curiosity piqued.

"He's back in town."

She didn't reply right away; too many feelings were rushing through her mind at once, too numerous to keep track of. "Oh. Wh-when did he get back?"

"The day before yesterday. I ran into him at the supermarket this morning and said hi. He was there with some girl I've never seen before."

"Probably his girlfriend," Buffy said in a small voice.

"God, Buffy, I'm so sorry. I knew I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"No, it's okay. I need to hear this. There's no chance of me and Angel getting back together. A part of me still thinks it'll happen, though."

"You never know, it could happen. Hell, you could make it happen. All you have to do is tell him. Then there's no way he can walk away from you again."

Buffy shook her head. "I can't. Too much time has passed and he probably wouldn't even care. On top of that, he has a girlfriend."

"You're giving up too easily."

"No, I'm not. I'm being realistic. Look, can we drop it? It's just going to bring me down."

Cordelia raised her eyebrows, but was happy to oblige. The subject of Angel wasn't her favorite one, especially considering what he'd done to her friend. "Whatever you want. It's your life."

"You're right, it *is* my life. Do you mind if we stop at the bookstore? I want to pick up the new Stephen King Book for my dad."

"Not at all."

The two walked in virtual silence to the bookstore on the other end of the mall. Cordelia knew she'd hit a sore spot when she'd mentioned Angel, but didn't want to press it. Her friend had gone through too much in the past two years, Angel Riches being the reason for most of it.

No sooner had they walked into the store when Buffy stopped dead in her tracks. Her friend almost collided with her. "What's wrong? Why did you stop like that?"

"I - that," she answered, pointing to a display.

At first, Cordelia couldn't understand why a book display would cause Buffy to come to a screeching halt. Then she saw it. "Buffy, just keep walking."

"I can't. It's his book. I-I have to."

"No. You don't have to do anything. You said it yourself, he's out of your life. He has a girlfriend. I thought you wanted it over."

"I owe it to Angel to read his book," said Buffy, picking up a copy from the display. "No matter what's happened between us."

Cordelia took it from her, putting it back on the shelf. "You don't owe him anything. He cheated on you, remember? If anything, he owes you."

Buffy read the back of the book after picking it up again. She surmised the premise of her Angel's book. "It's about us. He wrote about us, Cordy."

"You don't know that for a fact."

"'A touching story about finding true love in the last place you'd expect…what happens when the poorest boy in town falls in love with the wealthiest girl?' You can't tell me that doesn't sound a little familiar."

"So what? Why put yourself through the hell of reading it? Buffy, you lived it; you already know how it ends."

Shaking her head, Buffy clutched the book to her chest. "You can't stop me, Cor. This is his side of the story. Maybe I'll be able to find out the reason he left me behind. I need that piece of mind. Don't I deserve that much?" she asked.

With a grimace, Cordelia relented. She knew there was no stopping her best friend when she set her mind on something. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when you read something you don't like."

***

(June 7, 2007)

"My next guest is an award-winning author at the age of twenty-four. His first book, FIRE AND ICE, shot to the number one spot on the New York Times Bestseller List after only three weeks in print. And now, the movie version is set to open on Friday, starring Kirsten Dunst and Joshua Jackson. Please welcome, for the first time on this show, Angel Riches!" Rosie O'Donnell announced.

Smiling shyly, Angel stepped out from behind the wall and approached the talk show host, giving her a friendly hug and a kiss on the cheek. After doing so, he sat down in the guest's chair.

"Angel, can I say something? You are a cutie patootie!" she commented.

He laughed. "Thank you, Rosie. I can't say anybody's ever called me that before."

"I have to tell you, I couldn't put this book down the first time I read it. It's one of my favorites. How old were you when you wrote it?"

"I started it when I was eighteen and finished it three months before my twentieth birthday."

Her eyebrows shot upwards. "You're just a kid! It's so hard to believe that somebody so young can be so talented."

"I got cut a really lucky break. A friend of mine gave it to one of her professors to read, who sent it, in turn, to a literary agent at Pocket Books. It all just snowballed from there."

"I read in your press kit that this book is semi-autobiographical. Is that really true?" Rosie asked. "'Cause it seems like such a far-fetched plot."

Angel nodded. "Most of it is true, with the exception of the ending; that didn't quite happen. The character of Adam is…basically, he's me."

"And Bethany?"

A shadow of sadness washed over his face only for a split-second. "My ex-girlfriend. But names and places were changed to protect the innocent," he said with a laugh. "I didn't want to ruffle any feathers back home."

She picked the book up off her desk, opening it to the third page. "I wanted to mention something before we move on to the movie. The book is dedicated to…may I read the dedication?"

"Sure."

"'To my beloved, my inspiration for everything I do. But fire and ice just aren't meant to be, I guess.' Angel! That had me in tears the first time I read that!" Rosie admonished.

He bit his lip in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. But it's the truth."

She turned her attention to the studio audience and the television viewers. "Everybody, run out there and get this book. It's well-worth it. Our entire studio audience is getting a free copy." After the applause ended, Rosie faced Angel again. "Tell us about the movie."

"Well, if you read the book, it pretty much follows the same pattern. I wrote the screenplay and kept it as true-to-life as possible. Even the cast, I helped in the casting and made sure that the actors remotely resembled the real person. Kirsten Dunst plays Bethany, the rich beauty who falls in love with Adam, played by Joshua Jackson. The movie spans twenty-three years, the progression of their love and the things that tear Bethany and Adam apart."

"I saw the sneak preview Tuesday night and let me tell you, this is such an amazing movie! You didn't tell me you had a small part in it."

"A very small part. I'm a writer, not an actor," stated Angel. "But I play Patrick Aston; he steals Adam's first girlfriend, Kristine. I think I'm onscreen for a total of thirty seconds."

"The movie's rated PG-13, is it not?"

Angel nodded. "Yep. So take your parents, grandparents, some random person on the street…just go see it."

"I know a lot of girls out there are dying to find out if you're married. So am I, for that matter. So, spill. Are you?"

"Not married. In fact, I'm so single, it's pathetic. I haven't had a date in years."

Rosie grinned. "I find that very hard to believe."

"Ask my roommate. My writing keeps me pretty busy. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not looking for Ms. Right. If she's out there, I'm sure I'll find her."

***

No sooner had Angel opened the door to his Upper West Side apartment when the telephone started ringing. 'Probably Daniel wanting to know when the next book in the "Slayer" series will be finished. God, I hate having writer's block!' thought Angel.

"Hello?" he said when he picked up the receiver.

"Angel, it's Missy."

"Are you calling to make fun of my interview? I sucked, I know that already. I don't need you reminding me of it." It was two o'clock and he knew that the Rosie O'Donnell Show had already aired in Sunnydale.

"That's not why I called. It's…it's Mom," Melissa said with a touch of panic in her voice. "She's in the hospital."

Angel nearly dropped the receiver. "What?"

"I woke up and found her on the floor in the living room. They said she had a heart attack. You have to come home, Angel, as soon as possible. It doesn't look good. The doctors don't think she's going to make it."


	39. Chapter 39

39

It took him six hours, but Angel made it. He ran into Sunnydale General Hospital like a bat out of hell once he exited the taxi. All he could think about was his mother, and the thought of her lying in a hospital bed made him queasy. Angel was more scared than he'd ever been in his entire life.

A nurse stood behind the Nurse's Station. "Can I help you, Sir?" she asked when Angel breathlessly approached her.

"My mom was admitted earlier today and I don't know what room she's in," Angel told her.

"What's her name?"

He exhaled nervously. "It's Adrienne Riches. R-I-C-H-E-S."

The nurse punched the information into the computer. "Yes. She was admitted at nine o'clock this morning. Your mother is in the Cardiac Care Unit on the fifth floor. Room 563."

"Thank you."

The elevator wasn't fast enough for him, and Angel felt like he did not have the time to waste. So he opted for the stairs. He ran up the five flights to the fifth floor, too focused on finding his mother to care how much his body was screaming in agony at the exertion. When he stepped into the hallway of the Cardiac Care Unit, he found his sister sitting in a chair nearby.

"Missy!" he called upon seeing her.

Melissa jumped out of her seat and flew into Angel's arms. It had been almost a year since they'd last seen each other. The previous September, the two had gotten into a fight over how her boyfriend was treating her. "Oh god, Angel. Thank you for getting here so quickly," she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I came as fast as I could; took the first plane out. What happened to Mom?"

"I was so scared! I woke up for work this morning at eight-thirty and went into the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. The television was on, so I walked into the living room to say hi to Mom. She-she was lying face-down on the ground. I called 911 and an ambulance came five minutes later," she explained to her brother.

Angel shook his head in both sadness and in disbelief. "How is she? What did the doctor have to say?"

Melissa sniffled. "I tried calling you all morning. You didn't answer your phone at the apartment and your cell phone was turned off."

"I didn't want it ringing during my Rosie O'Donnell interview. Then I stopped at the library. But you never answered my question. How is she? What's wrong?"

Tears filled Melissa's brown eyes. "Massive heart attack. According to the attending doctor she had a heart attack. I feel so helpless, like nothing I can do will help her. And I hate it."

"I know how you feel. Can we see her?" he wanted to know.

"Yeah. She's-she's been in and out of consciousness, though. I just saw her and she was out of it, then I came out here to wait for you. Mom was asking for you earlier."

Angel solemnly nodded. "Do you mind if I go in there? Or do you want to go back?"

"Go on. Only one of us is allowed in at a time. I…I don't think I can take it right now. I think I need to be by myself for a little while."

"Okay." He could understand.

Angel walked down the hall to room 563. Peaking through the window, he saw his mother lying in the hospital bed, all kinds of machines hooked up to her. Taking a deep breath to collect himself, Angel entered.

As soon as he sat down in the chair next to the bed, Mrs. Riches' eyelids fluttered open. She stared at him for a moment before a weak smile spread across her lips.

"My Angel," she whispered. "You came."

"Of course I did. You know I'd never stay away if something happened to you. How do you feel?"

Mrs. Riches closed her eyes as if in pain. "It's not good. I know that."

He took her hand. "You're gonna be fine, Mom. Nothing's going to happen to you. You've got my word on that."

"No. I'm too sick." She locked her brown eyes on his identical ones. "There is something I need to tell you."

"It can wait until you feel stronger. Let's just concentrate on getting you well and getting you back home."

"Are you going to leave and go back to New York?"

He shook his head at her question. "I'll be right here as long as you need me. I'm not going anywhere until you're better."

"You gave up so easily, Angel."

"What are you talking about?"

"With Buffy. You gave up too easily on love. You can't do that when it's true love," she told him. "Trust me on that."

"That isn't something we should be talking about now."

She gripped his hand as tightly as she could. "Listen to me. We have to talk about this now or we'll never get the chance again."

"You need your rest. It can wait."

"I need to talk to you. I love you, Angel, and you're a smart boy. But when it comes to love, you're stupid."

"Mom…"

"You still love her. I see it in your eyes when I say her name. You will always be in love with her, you and I both know that."

"Stop worrying about my love life. I'll be just fine. I'm happy, you know that."

"No, you're not. You're lying to yourself. You'll never be happy without her. Be with her, you know you want to. You *need* to."

"Just concentrate on yourself. That's all that's important."

Mrs. Riches took a labored breath. Breathing had become difficult since she entered the hospital that morning. "Promise me something."

"Anything. What is it?"

"When I pass on, you have to take care of her."

"You're not going to die, Mom," assured Angel. "Think positive."

She tightened her grip yet again. "*Promise* me."

"Okay, I promise."

"Take care of Abby."

Angel knit his eyebrows together. He'd never heard of an Abby before. "Who is Abby? Why do I have to take care of her?"

"You have to take care of Abby," his mother repeated. "Take care of both of them."

"Mom, who is she?"

"She's yours. Watch over her. Love her."

Nothing Mrs. Riches was saying made any sense to Angel. "What on earth are you talking about? Who is this Abby person?"

From his right, the heart monitor began to beep loudly. His mother's eyes widened and she focused them on her son. "Take care of Abby, Angel! She's yours!"

Doctors and nurses ran into the room and Angel stood by helplessly and watched as they worked on his mother.

"BP is falling," one nurse stated.

"Heart rate is down. We're losing her."

One of the nurses looked over at a stunned and terrified Angel. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to leave, Sir."

Without saying another word, he walked out of the room, heading for the waiting room as if in a trance. Melissa noticed the expression on his face and immediately ran over.

"Oh god, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know exactly. The machine started beeping and then all these people came in. One of them told me to leave. Something happened to Mom."

Together, they sat themselves down and waited for word on their mother's condition. Neither of them said a word, but they clasped their hands together to comfort one another.

Five minutes later, a doctor came into the waiting room. "Melissa and Angel Riches?" he called.

They stood up. "That's us," Melissa said. "How is she?"

He shook his head sadly. "We did everything we could. Your mother suffered a second heart attack, but her body was too weak from the first one to fight it. I'm sorry; she didn't make it."

Angel stood in complete shock while his sister broke down and cried. She let tears slip onto his shoulder. "Thank you," he said to the doctor.

"Would you like me to make any arrangements for you?"

"No, thanks. I can do all that."

After the doctor walked away, Angel put his arms around Melissa, patting her on the back. "It'll be okay."

"She's gone," she whimpered. "Only fifty-two years old and she's dead. I never got a chance to say good-bye to her. Or to tell her how much I love her."

"I'm sure she knew."

"What are we going to do without her?"

He frowned. "We'll manage. You and I will get through it. Mom's watching over us, wherever she is."

***


	40. Chapter 40

40

The funeral took place four days later at Saint Matthew's Catholic Church in the heart of Sunnydale. Angel took on the responsibility of making the funeral and burial arrangements for his mother, as well as procuring the BINGO hall in the church's basement for the bereavement breakfast.

The mass began at ten o'clock, and Angel and Melissa were surprised to see so many people there paying their last respects to Mrs. Riches. Several of her doctors, old high school friends, acquaintances, as well as some of Angel and Melissa's friends showed up at the mass. Both children said a few words about their mother; Angel, Xander, Mrs. Riches' brother Steven, her nephews Robert and James, and Carl Morgan - a former boyfriend - were the pall bearers.

At noon, everybody headed downstairs for the brunch, which had been sponsored by the Sunnydale Women's Club. Family and friends offered their condolences to Adrienne Riches' two children.

"She was such a lovely woman," Grace Hancock stated when she shook Angel's hand. "Always willing to help out a friend in need. Her death was such a shock to me."

He nodded. "I know. Thank you for coming, Mrs. Hancock."

"I had to; I could never *not* come. I loved Addy like a sister. She was so proud of you, Angel. Her son, the famous writer."

"I would never go that far. If it wasn't for my mom, I wouldn't be where I am today."

"Well, you and Melissa will keep making her proud. I just know it. Be sure to call if you need anything."

Angel gave her a hug. "Thank you. I will."

That went on for an hour, different people coming forward to wish them good luck. It got to the point where Angel simply wanted to run away from everybody. He couldn't take it anymore, and decided to go outside for some fresh air.

Thirty feet from the door, he heard someone call his name. Inwardly, he groaned. Slowly, Angel turned around to see who it was.

Then he saw her. Buffy; his love, his goddess, his inspiration, his beloved. She stood in front of him, standing out like a new penny amongst all the other dull ones. The six years only added to her beauty, if it was possible. Her hair was several inches longer, falling well-past her shoulders in soft curls; her green eyes sparkled and shined like emeralds in a mountain of rock. The only difference he could see was the addition of perhaps ten or fifteen pounds, but on Buffy, the extra weight only enhanced her natural beauty.

"Buffy," he said after a short pause. "I didn't realize you were even here."

She nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other. It had taken her a long time to work up the nerve to approach Angel. Somehow, she'd expected him to be completely different from the Angel she remembered, but he wasn't. Everything was the same - his hair, his face, his eyes and nose and lips…everything.

"I had to come. I guess, in a way, I'm representing the Summers family. My dad had an important business meeting he couldn't get out of."

"Oh."

Buffy exhaled heavily. Talking to him was harder than she thought; she felt like she was eighteen all over again. "Angel, I wanted to offer my condolences in person. Cards are so tacky, and your mother deserved better than that. She was such a lovely person."

Angel nodded in agreement. "Yes, she was."

"Look, I don't want to pry or anything, but how did it happen? The newspaper said it was a short illness. She never told me she was sick."

"Sudden massive heart attack," he disclosed. "Missy found her unconscious in the living room. A few minutes after I got there to the hospital, she had another one. And she…" The sentence trailed off.

"I'm so sorry," Buffy apologized. "Your mom was like a second mother to me. I loved her like she was my own mom."

"I never knew you were so close to her."

She gave him a heartfelt smile. "The last few years we were. I would stop over once a month and visit with her. We'd spend hours at the kitchen table just talking and catching up."

"Mom never mentioned it to me."

Suddenly, a little girl ran up to Buffy and began pulling on her long black skirt. The girl had long brown hair and green eyes just like Buffy's.

"Mommy!"

'Mommy?' Angel thought. 'Why is she calling Buffy "Mommy"?'

Buffy bent down to her level. "What did I tell you about yelling?"

The girl pouted. "Not to."

"Good. Now, what do you want?"

"Can I have a brownie? It won't spoil my dinner, I promise."

"No. We're not here to pile up on junk food, we're here to say good-bye to Grandma Adrienne. I told you to behave yourself, Abrielle. You are being rude," Buffy sternly said.

She frowned and hung her head. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

"Aren't you going to say hi?"

The girl thrust out one little arm toward Angel. "Hi. I'm Abrielle Summers."

Angel took her hand. "Hiya. My name's Angel."

She giggled when he kissed the back of her hand. "I know who you are, Silly. You're the man in the picture with Mommy. It's in her bedroom on top of her dresser, next to the picture of me."

"Really?" 'Okay, this is more than a little strange. I'm talking to Buffy's daughter. God, Buffy has a daughter.'

"Sweetie," Buffy started. "This is Grandma Adrienne's son. Melissa's brother Angel."

"I like Melissa. She gives me candy," Abrielle stated. "Do you have candy?"

Angel couldn't help but smile at her. Buffy's daughter was so adorable. "Not right now I don't. But if you want, I bet I can scrounge some up for you later. What do you say?"

Abrielle's face lit up like a light bulb. "Really? You will?"

"Sure. Just have your mom drop you off at my mother's house and I'll hook you up with more sugar than your body can handle."

Buffy watched and listened to Angel's conversation with her five-year old daughter. He was sweet and kind to her; didn't talk down to the girl, which impressed Buffy. Most guys wouldn't do that. 'Angel would make a great father,' she thought to herself. 'Abrielle loves him already.'

Abrielle looked up at her mother. "Can I, Mom? Mr. Angel said I could come over later."

"We'll see, honey. Why don't you ask Aunt Cordelia to get you a cup of 7Up. Mommy needs to talk to Mr. Angel," Buffy said to her.

"Okay." Abrielle ran over to where Cordelia was sitting.

Buffy smiled at Angel. "I'm sorry about that. She doesn't usually act that way."

"She's a beautiful girl."

"Yeah, she is. Very precocious, though. Too damn smart for her own good, if you ask me."

"How old is she?" Angel wanted to know.

"Just turned five in May." She took a deep breath. "Angel, would you like to get a cup of coffee sometime? We can talk and catch up on each other. It's been so long."

He didn't answer right away. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but so much was happening, he didn't think he could handle a date with his ex-girlfriend. Especially when he still believed she wanted nothing to do with him. "I-I don't think so."

"Oh." She only nodded.

"It doesn't have anything to do with you, Buffy, or with your daughter. Right now, things are kinda crazy, and I hope you understand that. I don't think I'll be in Sunnydale for very long."

"When are you going back to New York?"

"As soon as everything is settled here, I'm leaving," he told her. "I have a deadline."

"Well, if you do decide you want to get together, give me a call. I'm still living at home with my dad."

Angel gave her a strange and confused look. "You're not married to Abrielle's father?"

Buffy shook her head. "No. He…he and I never married. Anyway, I won't keep you, I'm sure there are other people you want to talk to. Take care. If you ever need me, don't hesitate to call."

Without even thinking about it, Angel gave her a tender hug. Just knowing she still cared about him meant a lot. More than she'd ever know. "Thank you, Buffy."

In his arms for the first time in nearly six years, Buffy felt all her feelings for him resurface. 'I still love you so much, Angel.' She'd seen his interview on Rosie O'Donnell the week before and knew that he was single. Deep in her heart, Buffy hoped there would still be a chance for them.

***

"How are you holding up, Missy?" Xander asked Melissa when he finally had a chance to speak to her privately.

She shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. It's been really hard to deal with."

"I wish I'd been here for you and Angel. They've been keeping me extremely busy in L.A. with that new movie coming out." Xander worked as a contractor for a major studio in Hollywood.

"That's okay."

He glanced over at Angel, noticing he was talking to Buffy. "Wow. I didn't know those two got back together."

"They didn't," Melissa said when she saw who he was talking about. "She came to the funeral because she and my mom got close in the past few years."

"That was nice of her."

She agreed. "Yeah, it was. Buffy's not so bad once you get used to her."

"Too bad, though."

"About what?"

"Them. That they're not back together. Two people who are obviously meant to be together and they can't be. Buffy and Angel are still in love, you can tell," Xander observed.

She looked closer at her brother and his ex-girlfriend. "Yeah, I guess they still are."

***


	41. Chapter 41

41

"'Bill and I are sorry for your loss. You have our deepest sympathies and we have arranged for a mass to be said for your mother on August sixth at eight in the morning'," Angel read aloud from one of the many cards that had been sent to the house in the days following the funeral.

"Who's that one from again?" Melissa asked her brother. She was keeping track of the people they had to send thank you cards to.

Angel looked at the return address on the envelope, reading it off for his sister. "William and Audrey Kwitowski. 436 Headington Court. Sunnydale, California. 90021."

"Got it."

He reached for the next card in the pile. There was no return address. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed after reading the card.

"What is it?"

"I cannot believe that man has the gall to send a condolence card after all he's done to us."

Melissa didn't know who he was talking about. "Who, Angel?"

"Our father." The bitterness was apparent in his voice, even fourteen years after Luke Riches left them. "The bastard."

"What did he write?"

"'Melissa and Angel, I am heartfully sorry about Adrienne's death. Whether you want to believe it or not, I truly did love her and will miss her every single day. Though we had our differences, I loved her more than anyone else in my life, aside from you kids. She gave me two beautiful children, I could never forget that. You two are in my prayers. Love, you dad.'" Angel paused. "How can he even call himself our dad? He abandoned us when we were just ten years old, forcing us to grow up without a father figure. Apparently any asshole can be a sperm donor and call himself a father."

"Do you ever wonder if Mom forgave him for what he did?" she wanted to know.

He frowned. "Knowing Mom, she probably did. She had such a forgiving soul. But I'm willing to bet it didn't happen until the end."

Melissa sniffled. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"I…you were with her right before she died. And it's been weighing on my mind for the past few days. What did she say to you? What were her last words?"

Angel bit his lip. "She knew. Right up 'til the end, Mom never acted naïve about her condition. It was the end and she knew it; never tried to be strong for us. She talked about love and not giving up on true love even when things get tough."

"Oh."

"Now it's my turn to ask you a question."

"Okay."

"Who is Abby?"

The question threw her. "A-Abby?" Melissa stuttered. "Mom mentioned her? What exactly did she say about her?"

"Nothing. Well, hardly anything at all. That's why I was hoping you'd know. Mom just said that I have to take care of her. And I can't take care of someone I've never heard of. Who is she, Missy?" Angel asked. "Why do I have to take care of her?"

She couldn't make eye contact with her brother; she felt too ashamed about keeping the truth from him for so long. "Abby is your daughter."

***

Buffy walked into her daughter's bedroom, finding Abrielle sitting at her desk drawing a picture. The sight brought a smile to her face and filled her heart with joy. There was nobody else she loved more than her five-year old daughter.

"Whatcha drawing?" Buffy asked, walking over to her.

"It's a picture for Mr. Angel. I wanna give it to him when we go to his house for the candy," Abrielle replied.

"That is so sweet of you. I'm sure he'll love it." She glanced at the paper, seeing the three stick-figures holding hands. "Who are the people in the picture?"

Abrielle held it up. "Me and you and Mr. Angel. We're gonna be a family."

"I don't know, honey. Mr. Angel might have other plans. He might not want to be a family with you and me. I'm sorry, Abrielle."

"But you love each other. He's going to be my daddy," she stated.

"Who told you that?"

"Grandpa. I asked him. And you and him were talking about Mr. Angel after we said good-bye to Grandma Adrienne. Grandpa asked if you still loved Mr. Angel and you said yes. And you were crying in the shower that night and said his name. You love Mr. Angel, don't you, Mommy?"

Her daughter's intelligence astounded her. For such a young girl, Abrielle certainly knew what was going on around her. "Yes, I do love him. But I don't think he loves me back."

"But he has to! I want him to be my daddy!" the little girl cried.

Buffy swallowed the tears she felt coming. "You have a daddy."

"Then why doesn't he come to visit me? All my other friends have daddies. I'm the only one who doesn't have one."

'Yes you do, Abby,' Buffy said. 'He just doesn't know it yet.'

***


	42. Chapter 42

42

Angel blinked when Melissa told him who Abby was. "What did you say?"

"She's your daughter," Melissa replied.

He shook his head. "No way. That's not possible. I don't have a daughter, I *couldn't* have a daughter. I'd know if I did."

"I'm not lying, Angel. I swear to God."

"No."

She stood up and without speaking a word to her twin brother, she went into her bedroom, returning a minute later with a photo album. Ripping a picture out of it, Melissa placed it in front of Angel. "Does this little girl look familiar to you?"

"It's you when we were five years old. The summer we went to San Diego."

"Look closer. Who else does it look like?"

So he did look closer. The picture was definitely of Melissa when they were five. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her brown eyes sparkled with excitement. But it not only looked like his sister, but another little girl he'd recently met.

"Abrielle," he whispered. "Buffy's daughter."

"You mean your daughter, too."

"I don't get it. How can that be? Buffy and I haven't been together in almost six years. How can we have a daughter?"

"She just turned five a few weeks ago, at the end of May. Do the math, and you'll be able to figure it out."

Once again, Angel shook his head. "It isn't possible. No, no, you're wrong. I can't be Abrielle's father, it must be that other guy Buffy was seeing right after I left for school."

"Then why the hell does Abby look exactly like me?"

"I don't know."

Melissa chewed on her lower lip. It was time to tell him the whole truth. "There was no other guy, Angel. I-I lied to you about it."

"You did what? Why would you do something like that?"

"I hated Buffy! Out of all the girls in this town you could have fallen in love with, you had to pick the one I was the most jealous of. I hated her for having everything I wanted," she explained. "She had everything! She was smart, rich, beautiful, had great clothes, and on top of it, a father that doted on her. Whatever she wanted, she got. It wasn't fair.

"Then she decided she wanted you. And that pissed me off more than anything. I thought she was a slut and a bitch, and once she got what she wanted from you, she'd leave you. I could see how much you loved her and I didn't want her to hurt you; you'd already been hurt so badly by Kelley.

"When you went to Boston, I assumed you'd break up with her, or she would break up with you and that would be the end of it. Buffy told me about the plans you two made; how she was going to move to Boston to be near you. I never thought for a minute that she meant any of it, I thought she was trying to lure you in even more with false promises.

"And I hated her even more for it. For having everything she wanted, everything I wanted, for playing mind games with you, and there was no way in hell I was going to let you get hurt for her own amusement. I had to stop her before she went too far. So that's when I made up that story about the other guy."

Angel didn't say anything right away. It was all so much to absorb. "Buffy…she never cheated on me?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"What did you tell her?" he demanded. "You must have told her something."

"Angel--"

"Tell me!" His patience had run out a long time ago.

"I told her the same thing I told you," she admitted. "Right before you left, I heard her tell you how afraid she was of you falling in love with someone else at Emerson. That's what I told her; that you found some other girl and were going to end it with her."

He took a deep breath. "I can't believe you're capable of doing something like that."

"I did it for you!"

"No, it had nothing to do with me, Missy. You did it for yourself."

Tears stung her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're *sorry*?!" Angel exploded. "Do you think saying that is suddenly going to make it all better? It doesn't. I lost out on the first five years of my daughter's life because of your petty jealousy. I can't get those years back, Melissa." 'My daughter,' he thought. 'Buffy and I have a daughter. A daughter I never knew about until today.'

"I know that! You don't know how guilty I feel about it. If I'd known Buffy was pregnant, I never would have done what I did!"

He stood up. "Were you ever going to tell me about Abrielle? Truthfully, if Mom hadn't died, would you have told me?"

"Probably not." She was telling him the truth. Her mother's death had instilled a sense of guilt in her. "You know now, though. I told you about her. Now you know you have a daughter. A beautiful daughter with Buffy. All is right with the world."

"No, all isn't right with the world. You've pulled a lot of crap in the past twenty-four years, but this is the worst. You betrayed me. I always trusted you; believed you and everything you said without any reservations. And you broke that trust."

"I did it because I love you."

"Then you have a fairly contrived sense of love. Stay away from me, Missy. From now on, don't come near me. As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a sister." Angel headed for the back door.

She followed him. "Don't do this. I'm the only family you have left!"

"Not anymore. I have a daughter, whose mother I love more than anything. They're my family."

"Where are you going?"

Angel turned around, glaring at his sister. The anger was written all over his face. "Where do you think? To see if I can make up for your selfishness; to see if I can be a part of my daughter's life."

***


	43. Chapter 43

43

Filled with trepidation, Angel stood on the front porch of Buffy's house. He'd been standing there for five minutes, trying to figure out what he would say. 'What am I going to say to her? "I'm sorry about the past six years and for abandoning you and our daughter?" I can't do that.'

Taking a deep breath, he pressed the doorbell, hearing the chime echo its way through the Summers house. It didn't take long for him to make out the sound of footsteps walking down the hallway. A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Buffy's father.

"Mr.-Mr. Summers," Angel stammered.

The older man's eyebrows lifted slightly upon seeing his daughter's ex-boyfriend. "Hello, Angel. I suppose you're here to see Buffy."

"I am, yes."

"Please come inside." Angel stepped in. "She and Abrielle are in the backyard on the swing set. Follow me."

"Mr. Summers, I'm sure I am the last person you expected to find on your doorstep. And I know that you asked me to stay away from Buffy, but I cannot do that anymore. I know things now, and I also know that I can't stay away from her," Angel explained.

He nodded his head in understanding. "You know about Abby, I take it."

"Yes. My sister explained things to me. Believe me, sir, if I had known about her, things would be different. I never would've left them."

"I do believe you. This is my doing, not yours. I see that now. At the time, all I could associate you with was your father. I saw what he did to Adrienne and it pained me to see her like that. And I didn't want the same thing to happen to my daughter."

"You cared about my mother a great deal, didn't you?" he questioned.

"I loved her, Adrienne was my first love. You never get over your first real love. Isn't that true?" Mr. Summers wanted to know.

"Yeah."

He caught the look in Angel's eyes. It was a mixture of doubt and pity. "Oh, that's not to say I didn't love Buffy's mother; I did. Joyce was a lovely woman, a great companion and an even better mother. I couldn't have asked for more. But she wasn't Adrienne.

"The day Buffy was born, I went to the nursery at the hospital to see all the other babies. It was there that I saw you and your sister Melissa. You two had been born the day before Buffy was, and I was filled with such envy. I wished for you to be my children. I wanted to be your father, not Luke. But things just didn't work out that way.

"When Buffy first told me about you two, I wasn't exactly thrilled. My daughter had gotten what I always wanted. I didn't think it was fair for Buffy to be with the one she loved when I couldn't be. And what made it worse was that you were the son of the one woman I'd always loved. But I made a mistake, Angel. I was selfish and I put my own feelings ahead of my daughter's."

Mr. Summers extended his hand to Angel. "I want to apologize for what I've done in the past. I never intended to hurt you, or to keep you from your daughter."

Angel glanced at the hand being offered to him before shaking it. "I accept your apology. Now I hope Buffy can accept mine."

He pointed to his daughter, who was pushing Abrielle on a swing. "She's right there."

"Thank you."

Angel pushed the sliding glass door and walked back outside. He stood at the edge of the patio watching Buffy and Abrielle. His heart did flip-flops as his daughter laughed and begged her mother to push her higher. 'That's my daughter. She is so beautiful,' he thought to himself.

Mr. Summers stepped out from behind him. "She's going to be a heartbreaker, our Abby."

"Just like her mother," Angel added.

"Yes, just like her mother. Aren't you going to go over there?"

"I don't want to interrupt them," he answered. "I can wait until they're finished."

"Nonsense. I happen to know for a fact that my granddaughter is dying to see you again. You're all she's been talking about." He turned his attention to his daughter. "Buffy! You have a visitor."

Buffy and Abrielle looked up at the same exact time. The younger girl burst into a grin and jumped off the swing in midair. "Mr. Angel!" Abrielle shouted.

"Abby, be careful!" Buffy warned.

She ran as fast as her legs would carry her to Angel's side. "You came! I knew you'd come to see me."

Buffy got there a second later. "Honey, I told you not to jump off the swing like that. You could get hurt."

"Sorry, Mommy. Look, Mr. Angel came to see us."

"I see that. Hi, Angel," Buffy greeted.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Even though he'd seen her two days before, it was as if he was seeing her for the first time in six years. Images developed in Angel's mind, images of Buffy pregnant with their daughter, giving birth, breast-feeding her, teaching Abrielle to walk and talk. All the things he'd missed out on.

Mr. Summers took his granddaughter's hand. "Come on, Abby. Let's go inside and get some ice cream. I think your mom and Mr. Angel want to be alone."

"Do you want to see my pictures that I drew for you?" Abrielle asked Angel.

He smiled at her. "I'd love to."

Once the two entered the house and the door closed behind them for privacy, Buffy turned to Angel once again. "I thought you were going back to New York soon."

"I was. My plans seem to have changed. Buffy, I…" He took another deep breath. "I found out some things today. Things that have been kept from me for years. Things about us."

"What kinds of things?"

"Missy…she suffered from a pang of conscience today. And she told me everything. She told me things I never thought possible. She lied to us."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't quite know how to say it. It's still so hard to believe that my own sister sabotaged the best thing in my life. Buffy, she told me you were cheating on me."

She didn't reply right away. "What?"

He nodded. "I know. I didn't believe it at first either. Here's what happened. About a month after I left Sunnydale, Melissa called me up at school. She made up this story that you were going around telling everybody we were breaking up because you wanted to be with someone else. And for some stupid reason I believed her. I thought you and I were over; that you didn't want to be with me anymore."

"It wasn't true. I never cheated on you."

"I know. She told me today; told me everything she said and all the lies she told to keep us apart."

Buffy looked down at the green grass at her feet. "She told me the same thing. I came over to your house when you had stopped returning my phone calls and that's when Melissa said you were seeing some other girl named Julia."

"Not true. She was never more than a good friend of mine." Angel grabbed Buffy's hand, clutching it tightly. "You are the only person I've ever been with and the only one I ever *want* to be with."

She gazed into his eyes. It was all so unreal. "You still love me?"

"As much as I did when I was eighteen."

"Me, too. I mean, I'm still in love with you. There hasn't been anyone else since the day you left town." With her free hand, Buffy wiped away her tears of joy. "Angel, there is something you need to know."

"I know. Abrielle is my daughter. Our daughter, should I say."

"How did you…"

Angel gave her a half-smile. "My mother. Right before she died, she told me I had to take care of Abby. I didn't know what she meant, so I asked Melissa this morning. That's when I found out about her. And all that other stuff."

"I'm so sorry, Angel."

"For what? None of this is your fault. I blame my sister, no one else."

"It is my fault. I'm the one who got pregnant. I promised you I wouldn't and I did. You probably hate me."

He lifted her chin with his hand, forcing her to make eye contact with him. "I'm not mad, not at all. God, Buffy, I am thrilled and overjoyed."

"You mean that? Really?"

"With all my heart. We have a daughter. One night, we made love and made a daughter. The only regret I have is that I didn't know about Abrielle sooner. Why didn't you tell me?" Angel asked.

"Because. I just couldn't do it. Angel, I found out the day Melissa told me about you and that Julia girl. That's why I had called that day. But after she told me, I couldn't tell you. I was afraid you'd hate me or think I was lying. And even if you did believe me, I didn't want you to think I was only telling you so you'd come back to me. I didn't want you to be with me out of some sense of obligation, and I didn't want to be with you if you didn't want to be with me. It would be like forcing you into a loveless relationship."

"If I'd known, I'd have come back in a second. I would have dropped everything so I could be here."

Buffy shook her head. "I didn't want you to do that. You were living out your dream and the last thing I wanted was to ruin it for you."

"I wish you had told me. It must have been so hard for you, raising her on your own, thinking all the while that I was off with someone else."

"Well, Dad certainly wasn't too happy about it. He wanted me to put Abby up for adoption, but I said no. I could never give away our daughter to strangers. He loves her so much, Angel; treats her like a princess and spoils her rotten. He's been there for us since day one."

"Buffy, I know this is a lot to ask, but I want to be a part of Abby's life. I missed out on the first five years of her life because of my sister's lies. I don't want to miss out on another minute," said Angel.

"She is your daughter. I'd never say no. And I believe that Abby should know her father."

Angel smiled. "What about her mother? Can I be a part of her life, too?"

"You'll have to ask Abrielle about that. That kind of a decision requires her input as well."

As if she were listening from inside the house, Abrielle ran outside towards the adults. In her hand were two pictures. "Mommy! Mr. Angel!"

"Abby, I have to tell you something," Buffy said to her.

Abrielle ignored her mother. She focused her attention on Angel. "Are you really my daddy?"

"Who did you hear that from?" Buffy wanted to know.

"Grandpa said so. Are you my daddy, Mr. Angel?"

Angel picked her up, holding her in his arms. "Yes, I'm your daddy; your real daddy. Is that okay with you?"

She nodded vigorously. "Uh-huh. We can be a family, like in my pictures. I drew them for you. There's one of all of us. And the other is of us and a baby. I wanna be a big sister."

They both laughed. "Well, Buffy?" Angel asked. "Can we be a family? Can I be part of you life, too?"

"I'd really like that." She placed her hand on the back of his neck and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss.

***


	44. Chapter 44

44

"Mommy?" Abrielle asked. "I got a question."

Buffy finished pulling her daughter's hair through the ponytail clip and looked at her in the mirror. "Okay. What's the question?"

"When is Daddy coming back?"

Angel had left for New York the week before so he could pack up his old apartment and move everything to his new apartment in Sunnydale. He'd decided to remain in California to be near Buffy and their daughter. After two months of planning and apartment-hunting, the move would finally be complete.

"He called last night after you went to bed and said he'd be back by the end of the week. Remember how I told you that he has to drive his truck from the other side of the country? That's a long trip, honey."

"I miss him."

She put her arms around Abrielle from behind and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I know you do. So do I."

"Are you and Daddy gonna have another baby?" she wanted to know.

The question took Buffy by surprise. "No. We don't need another baby right now; we have you."

She sighed. As much as the idea of having another child thrilled Buffy, Angel had never mentioned it. When they first decided to embark on their relationship for the second time, they chose to move more slowly than the first time. Two months later, Buffy and Angel had yet to make love. And the wait was agonizing for her.

"But I wanna be a big sister!"

"Abby, don't raise your voice. I know you want to be a big sister, but something like that doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of talking and planning. Your dad and I aren't ready yet. Maybe in a few years, but not now."

***

"Hello, Mr. Summers," Angel said when he walked up the driveway later that afternoon. He'd returned from his cross-country trip earlier that day and stopped by to see Buffy and Abrielle.

Mr. Summers glanced up and smiled at the young man. "Angel. I didn't realize you were back from New York already. Buffy never mentioned it."

"That's because she doesn't know yet. I got back around noon and wanted to surprise them. Are she and Abby home?"

He nodded. "Upstairs, I think. I'm sure they've missed you like crazy. In fact, I know they have."

"The feeling is mutual. But before I go up there, can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything."

"Well," Angel began, "ever since I came back to town and Buffy and I worked things out, we haven't exactly had a lot of alone time. It's always been me, her and Abrielle. Not that I mind at all, I don't. I love Abby and I'm trying to get to know her and be a real father to her. But I feel like I'm neglecting Buffy at the same time. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"I do. You want to be alone with her," Mr. Summers stated.

"I want to take her away to someplace where it'll only be the two of us. I love her and I want so badly to make it work this time. That's where the favor comes in."

"As I said before, anything. The one thing I want most in this world is to see my daughter happy. And it's fairly obvious that you make her happy; now I see that. What is it you need?"

Angel exhaled. "I'd like, with your permission, to take Buffy away this weekend."

"You're both well-over eighteen. It's not as if you need my permission to go away together," he pointed out.

"I'm aware of that. See, I was hoping to take her to the beach house. For a romantic weekend, if you know what I mean. That place holds a lot of memories for the two of us." Angel didn't feel comfortable elaborating any further.

"Yes, I am aware of that. I read your book, Angel. And assuming that most of what you wrote is true, I can understand why you'd want to take her there. When would you like to go there, again?"

"This weekend. Mr. Summers, I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to dump babysitting responsibilities on you."

Mr. Summers lifted his hands to silence him. "Don't worry about it. Every couple needs some time away from the rest of the world. Besides, I promised my granddaughter I'd take her to Disneyland one of these days. Perhaps I can arrange it so that both trips fall on the same weekend."

"Thank you so much. Although I do have one more favor to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"I don't want Buffy to think this was all my idea. It sends the wrong message and I don't want to put any strain on the relationship. Maybe if you brought it up first…" Angel suggested.

He nodded and smiled. "Sure. I'd be glad to help."

Angel let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much again. This means a lot."

The front door opened and Buffy and Abrielle stepped out onto the front porch. Upon seeing her father standing in the driveway with her grandfather, Abrielle squealed with delight and ran to their side. "Daddy!"

Angel lifted her off the ground, giving her a hug and a kiss. "How's my little girl?"

"I'm good. Mommy took me to the park and pushed me on the merry-go-round. Are you back for good?"

"You bet I am. I'm not going anywhere."

Buffy walked over to them. "When did you get back?" she asked.

"A few hours ago," Angel answered. "I wanted to unload all the stuff before I came over here. Hope you don't mind." He placed Abrielle back on the pavement.

She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tender kiss. "Mind? I'm just glad you're back and you're safe. We both missed you."

"That's what your dad said."

Buffy looked over at her father, who was tying Abrielle's shoelace. "Can you stay tonight? Dad won't care and I'm sure Abby won't object."

"I can't," he declined, brushing a stray hair from Buffy's forehead. "I have to finish unpacking and then Xander's going to help me move the rest of my stuff from Mom's house."

"Oh, okay." Try though she might, Buffy couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice.

"If I could, I would."

"I know," she replied, nodding her head. But a part of her wasn't sure.

"Buffy?" her father called. "I need to ask you something. See, I promised Abby a few months ago that I'd take her to Disneyland for the weekend. Do you mind if I take her this coming weekend?"

Abrielle's face lit up. "Disneyland? Can we? Please?!"

"Do you promise to be a good girl for Grandpa?" she asked her daughter.

"Uh-huh. I promise."

"All right, you can go."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she shouted.

Mr. Summers smiled deviously. "I have an idea. Why don't the two of you do something special while we're gone. Maybe go to the beach house for the weekend? I can call Carrie and John and tell them to have it ready for you."

"Really?"

"Sure. Why not?"

Buffy turned to Angel. "Do you want to? Just think, a weekend with just the two of us. No kids, no fathers, no interruptions. What do you say? Could be fun."

"That does sound like fun," Angel agreed, playing along. "I'd love to go." 'Thank you, Mr. Summers.'

***

"Angel, talk to me," Melissa said when he brushed past her on his way inside his old bedroom to get the last of his things. "I hate this."

"I don't want to talk to you. I want to get the rest of my things and get back to my apartment. Holding a conversation with you isn't on my list of priorities," he retorted.

Melissa groaned. "Why are you doing this? I'm your goddamn sister."

"I don't have a sister. Remember?"

Xander watched and listened with curious eyes and ears as the twins squared off. He'd listened to them argue before and knew that this was worse than any of their previous arguments. This time, Melissa had gone too far.

"You're mad, I understand that. But why do you have to shut me out of your life? I made a mistake and I apologized for it. Can't we just move on and forget it ever happened?"

Angel picked up the final box. "A mistake? You call what you did a 'mistake'? No, not by a longshot. And apologizing isn't going to make me forget. Don't even try to patch things up with me. Anyone who can be so manipulative doesn't deserve my forgiveness. You'll never get it, Missy. Never."


	45. Chapter 45

45

"This place hasn't changed a bit since I last saw it," Angel commented when he and Buffy walked through the front door of the beach house.

"Not much. Obviously, there have been a few changes made in the past six years. We converted one of the spare bedrooms into a playroom for Abby. But other than that, you're right, it hasn't changed," agreed Buffy, shutting the front door behind them.

He looked around. "Do you guys come here a lot?"

"Once every couple months or so. Last time we came here was Memorial Day weekend. Abby just loves the beach. I keep telling her that if she stays in the water too long, she'll turn into a fish."

"Maybe we should have brought her with us. Seeing as she loves the beach and all."

Buffy shook her head. "No way. I love my little girl to death, but there are times when I'm glad to be away from her. And now is one of those times. I can't tell you how glad I am that my dad suggested we come here."

Angel flashed her a guilty smile. It was time to come clean. "This wasn't actually your father's idea. It was mine. I thought it would be better if he broached the subject to you rather than me."

"Why didn't you want to do it?"

With a shrug of his shoulders, Angel sighed. "I guess I just didn't want you to know it was my idea. I didn't want you to think I wanted to come up here because…well, you know."

She nodded in understanding. "I know. Angel, that's the whole reason I wanted to be here with you this weekend."

"I thought you might think I was rushing things."

"Never. A snail moves faster than you have been in regards to us. If anything, I've been doing the rushing. All I have wanted since we've gotten back together is to be with you; feel your arms around me and hear you say how much you love me."

"We have the entire weekend for that," he told her. "I plan on making this weekend one we'll remember for the rest of our lives."

Buffy brought her hands to the buttons of his white oxford shirt. "Why wait?"

"Now? It's only eight o'clock," he reminded her.

She lifted her eyebrows. "Do you have a problem with that? I wanna be with you, more than anything or anyone. You're the only man who's ever wanted me."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is," Buffy disagreed. "Both before and after you left, nobody wanted me. And I didn't want anyone who wasn't you. You're the only man I have ever made love to in my entire life."

"I find it hard to believe that you haven't been with anyone since we broke up," Angel said.

Buffy looked at him as if he'd just told her the moon was made out of green cheese. "What man would've wanted me? I was carrying too much baggage. First and foremost being the fact that I've always been in love with you. That never changed, nor will it ever. Secondly, there's Abrielle. A kid turns most guys right off; who wants to go out for a romantic dinner with his girlfriend's kid? Very few men, that's who. The few guys who did happen to show an interest in me were turned off by the revelation that I have a child with another man. Lastly, I'm fat again. Buffy the Blimp."

"Good god, Buffy. You're hardly fat. You're beautiful."

"It's been five years and I'm still twenty pounds overweight."

"Who cares? I certainly don't," he stated truthfully. He loved her no matter what she looked like.

"You're not the one who has to look at this body in the mirror every single day."

Angel took a step closer to her. Now there was no space between them; their bodies were mere millimeters from touching. "I see you now. And you're the same person I fell in love with."

"But-"

He decided to interrupt her with a kiss. Though it was originally meant as a ploy to quiet her, it quickly turned passionate. While Buffy's hands fiddled with his shirt buttons in an attempt to remove the article of clothing, Angel's wound their way through her long hair. When the two finally had to come up for air, their eyes met and smiles danced across their lips.

"Thought you wanted to go slow," Buffy teased. "Wanted to wait."

Angel took her hand in his, leading her to the couch. "We've waited six years to be like this again. I'm going to make it last, and I'm gonna make it worth the wait."

***

"Hey, Grandpa?" Abrielle started after Mr. Summers had placed her in the tub for her nightly bath.

"What, Princess?"

"Why didn't Mommy and Daddy come with us? I thought grown-ups liked Disneyland, too."

He grinned. "They do. It's just that your mom and dad wanted to spend some time together. Alone."

"Where'd they go?" she wanted to know.

"To the beach."

Abrielle giggled. "Are they gonna kiss?"

"Maybe. If they want to."

Her face lit up with excitement. An idea had come to her. "When they come back, are they bringing a baby home with them?"

Mr. Summers wished he knew where his granddaughter was coming up with such things. "No, I'm sorry, Abby. You don't get babies that way. You have to wait a long time for one."

"How long?"

"Long." The last thing he wanted to do was explain to a five-year old where babies came from. "A long, long time."

The answer seemed to satisfy her. "What are they doing at the beach?"

"Talking," he told her. Though he seriously doubted there would be much talking done between the couple that weekend.

***

"Where are we going?" Buffy asked the next night after dinner. Angel had grabbed her by the hand and dragged her out the door to the beach.

He smiled down at his confused girlfriend. "For a walk to the pier. I thought it would be nice to watch the sunset there."

Buffy had to admit, it was a romantic idea, and Angel was nothing if not romantic. And she loved it. "Okay."

Wanting to make it there in time, Angel half-dragged her down the sandy shoreline. Both were out of breath when they reached their destination, but they made it with a few minutes to spare.

"I always forget how beautiful it is here," Buffy stated. "Do you remember the first time we came here together?"

"Sure do. Prom weekend, the day after we made love for the first time. That old lady saw us kissing and told us we'd be together forever." He took a nervous breath. "That's why I picked this place."

"Huh?"

"Buffy, I love you, and I will always love you. We are meant to be together, I honestly believe that. And we have been through hell and heartache, and yet here we are, together again. I won't blow it this time around.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to raise our children together and grow old with you by my side. Truth is, I wanted to do this years ago and I should have. But I didn't, and things happened. Awful things."

Angel pulled a black velvet box out of his pocket, then bent down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

She was so overwhelmed that she didn't give him an answer. All she could see was the sunlight playing upon the diamond ring Angel was offering her.

"Buffy?" he said.

"What?" she asked., breaking out of her reverie. "Oh, yes. Yes, I'll marry you!"

He took the ring out of the box and placed it on her finger. "Guess this makes it official. I told you I'd make this weekend one we'd both remember forever."

"You planned this?"

He nodded. "Yep. I didn't just bring you here so we could have sex. I brought you here to ask you to be my wife."

"I love you, my Angel." She put her arms around him and kissed him with all the love she felt in her heart for him.

"And I love you, too, my beloved."

***


	46. Chapter 46

46

The knock sounding at the front door woke Melissa up from her nap. It had been a long day at work of filing and answering telephones at the local OB/GYN's office where she worked full-time. Stretching her tired body and yawning, she heard it again.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," she whined as she trudged to the living room, still only half-awake. Opening the door, she was dumbstruck at who she found standing there. "Buffy."

Buffy shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Hi, Melissa. Do you mind if I come in? I'd really like to talk to you."

Melissa unlocked the door and took a few steps back, allowing Buffy to come inside. When she had, they walked to the kitchen in order to sit down. Buffy took the seat across the table from Angel's sister.

"It's been a long time since we've seen each other," Buffy commented.

She agreed. "Eight months. The day of my mom's funeral. You look great, by the way."

"Thank you." In the six months that had passed since Angel proposed to her, Buffy lost all the extra weight she had gained from her pregnancy. She had been determined to regain her pre-pregnancy figure before their Valentine's Day nuptials. There was no way she wasn't going to look perfect the day she became Mrs. Angel Riches. So she exercised until she lost the weight.

"H-How is everyone doing?" Melissa stuttered. "I haven't exactly been clued in on what's going on in everyone's life lately."

"We're good. Abrielle started kindergarten back in September and she's doing great. Smart as a whip, just like her father. Not to mention that Angel and I have been fairly busy getting stuff ready."

She nodded her head. "Yeah, I read about the engagement in the paper. Congratulations." Melissa couldn't help but notice the diamond ring her future sister-in-law wore. It wasn't overly flashy, but she could tell it cost her brother a fortune. When it came to showing affection for the people he loved, Angel spared no expense.

"Thank you," Buffy said for the second time.

"When is it? The newspaper article I read stated that you hadn't set a date yet."

"It's going to be on Valentine's Day. We didn't want to wait too long; you never know what might happen."

"I understand. How is Angel?" Melissa wanted to know. The siblings hadn't spoken in over six months.

"He's fine. Been battling a case of writer's block on the latest book. Doesn't quite know what to do with Nick."

"I used to love coming up with ideas for those characters of his. Did you know that turning Jacob into a vampire in the second book was my idea?" she asked. "He needed a reason for Nick to join Emily's circle and I came up with one. Turning his best friend into a vampire."

Buffy smiled. "I had no idea. But I know that the Slayer series is his baby, and there are times when I wonder if he cares more about those damn characters than he does me."

"Never. My brother loves you with all his heart, anyone can see that. Anyone who read FIRE AND ICE can see it, Buffy."

"You're right, I'm just being self-piteous." She inhaled deeply. "Melissa, I know things between you and Angel have been strained since your mother died."

"He won't speak to me," Melissa stated simply. "No ifs, ands or buts about it."

"With the wedding coming up in two weeks, I'd hate it if all of our family wasn't there to celebrate it with us. Even though you and Angel aren't on speaking terms, I know he'll never forgive himself if his own twin sister isn't there on his wedding day. That's the reason I came over here today, Melissa. I want you to be a part of our wedding."

It left the woman speechless. "You want me in the wedding? Isn't it a little last minute?"

"I think you misunderstood what I meant. I want you to be there for the wedding ceremony and the reception afterwards. You're not going to be in the wedding party. I'm going behind Angel's back as it is; he doesn't know I'm here."

"Oh." She felt embarrassed for making such an assumption. Of course she wouldn't be a part of the wedding party. Not when she had lied in order to keep the bride and groom apart.

"Look, Melissa, I'm not doing this for me, I'm doing it for Angel. You're all the family he has left except for a few aunts, uncles and cousins. And even though what you did was wrong and unforgivable, you should be there."

She cast her eyes to the kitchen table. "I never did apologize to you for what I did. I was jealous of you and I thought you were only out to hurt Angel. It never crossed my mind that your feelings for him were true."

"You know now. Despite what you did, Angel and I are together. We have a lovely daughter and we'll be married in a few weeks. Goes to show that true love does conquer all."

"I'm sorry. I kept Abby from getting to know her father. And I wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially since I know what it's like to grow up without a father."

"If you had known that I was pregnant, would that have changed things?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, it would have," Melissa answered with a nod of her head. "I wouldn't have done it. I can't take back what I did, or turn back time so that it'll never happen. But I *can* tell you how heartfully sorry I am."

Buffy gave her a small smile. "I can accept that."

***

"How are you holding up, man?" Xander asked his best friend twenty minutes before the wedding ceremony began.

Angel took a deep breath and adjusted his tie so that it was straight. "Nervous. Like there're a million butterflies in my stomach just dying to make a break for it."

"What do you have to be nervous about? The sun is shining, there isn't a cloud in the sky and you're half an hour away from marrying the woman you love," he said. "Everything is perfect."

"What if Buffy changes her mind? What if she doesn't want to marry me anymore?"

Xander sighed with exasperation. "She's been in love with you for how long? Almost twenty years? Somehow, I don't think she's going to change her mind. It's a done deal; she wants to marry you for some strange reason."

A knock was heard from the other side of the door, and Mr. Summers walked in. "You guys almost ready?"

Angel visibly paled. "Why? Is it time? It can't be time yet."

"No, it isn't time yet. Although I do have someone here who is dying to see you."

"Who? It's not Buffy, is it? We're not supposed to see each other until the ceremony starts."

"Not Buffy." He opened the door wider, revealing Abrielle, standing there with a smile on her face, her chestnut hair in ringlets and wearing a light pink dress.

She ran over to her father, jumping immediately into his awaiting arms. "Hi, Daddy!"

"Hiya, honey. What are you doing here? Why aren't you with your mom and Aunt Cordelia?" Angel asked his daughter.

"They're opening presents and stuff. 'Sides, I wanted to see you."

"You look beautiful Your dress is very pretty," Angel complimented.

"Thank you," Abrielle replied cordially. "You should see Mommy's dress. It's white and long and pretty. She looks like a princess."

He kissed her on the cheek. "That's because your mom is a princess."

She giggled. "Am I a princess, too?"

"You bet. You're my princess."

"Dad, when you and Mom come back from your honeymoon, am I gonna have a baby brother or sister?"

"Maybe. But I can't guarantee it."

"Yea!" she shouted. There was nothing Abrielle wanted more than to be a big sister.

Angel put her down and Xander walked the flower girl back to the Bride's Room. While he was waiting for his best man's return, the anxious groom silently slumped down onto a chair.

"Is something wrong, Angel?" Mr. Summers wanted to know. "You look melancholy all of a sudden."

"I was just thinking about my mother. All she wanted was for me and Buffy to be together. It was her last wish. And now here I am, on my wedding day and she isn't here to share it with me. It doesn't seem right."

"Adrienne should be here; it isn't fair that she was taken away from us so suddenly. She and I weren't close the last few years of her life, but I know how thrilled she'd be," he agreed.

"It's times like this when I wish I had a father. A real father, one who cared."

Mr. Summers sat down next to his soon-to-be son-in-law. "If you'd like, I'll be your father. From the first day I saw you in that hospital nursery, it had been a dream of mine. Besides, you're already family, Angel."

***

_// It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside _

_I'm not one of those who can easily hide _

_I don't have much money, but boy if I did _

_I'd buy a big house where we could both live _

_If I was a sculptor, but then again, no _

_Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show _

_I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do _

_My gift is my song and this one's for you \\_

"You know," Angel started, after he'd gathered his wife in his arms for their first dance as husband and wife. "I almost fainted when I saw you walking down the aisle to me. I couldn't believe you were still gonna do it."

"Did you think I was going to change my mind? No way, buddy. You're stuck with me for the rest of your natural life," Buffy replied.

"There's nobody else I'd rather be stuck with. I love you more than anything."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Me, too."

_// And you can tell everybody this is your song _

_It may be quite simple but now that it's done _

_I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind _

_That I put down in words _

_How wonderful life is while you're in the world \\_

"It feels better the second time around," Angel whispered, thinking Buffy wouldn't be able to hear him.

She lifted her head to look him in the eye. "Second time around? What do you mean by that?"

"I married you for the first time when we were eighteen. Remember, on graduation day when I gave you that ring?"

Buffy nodded. "The claddagh ring. Yeah, I remember."

"Well, I took an Irish folklore course back at Emerson when I was a sophomore and that's when I found out what it symbolized. According to Irish tradition, you and I have been married for six and a half years," he informed her.

"I know. I mean, I knew the legend even when you gave me the ring. My mom had one and explained the story behind it year ago."

He stared at her incredulously. "You've known all this time and you never told me? Why?"

"Guess I didn't want to scare you away."

_//I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss _

_But a few of these verses, well they've got me quite cross _

_But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song _

_It's for people like you that keep it turned on _

_So excuse me for forgetting, but these things I do _

_You see, I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue _

_Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean _

_Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen \\_

"Abby asked me something interesting this morning before the wedding," Angel said.

"What?"

He smiled at the memory. "She wanted to know if we were going to bring back a baby brother or sister with us from our honeymoon," he told her.

"What did you say?"

"I told her we might."

Buffy's emerald eyes widened. "We might? Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I think Abrielle should have a brother or sister. Or a few. In my mind, I'd be a good father, and I know what a great mother you are. But, as long as it's okay with you, I'd like more children. And I'd like to start trying as soon as possible."

"I wasn't sure if you wanted more kids."

"I've always wanted a big family. And I don't want that family with anyone but you."

"So do I," she said. "I want to carry your baby inside me again. You've made this the best day of my life, you know that?"

Angel laughed. "I take it you like being the new Mrs. Riches."

"It feels like a dream come true."

***


	47. Chapter 47

47

The newlyweds had decided to split their honeymoon between two destinations. For the first three days, Buffy and Angel stayed at their beach house. As a wedding present, Mr. Summers gave it to them, knowing how much it meant to them as a couple. The house was one of Buffy's favorite places to go as a child, and the same was true for her daughter. He had wanted to give the couple something special, and he couldn't think of anymore more special than the beach house.

After three days, Buffy and Angel flew to Virginia Beach for the last week-and-a-half of their vacation. Neither of them had ever been there before, but knew that it was a beautiful location with plenty to do during the day. They'd driven to Washington D.C. one day and to Alexandria another. At night, though, there was always something to keep them occupied, whether it be a moonlight stroll along the boardwalk or just simply staying in the room.

On their last full day in Virginia, Angel awoke early, struck with inspiration. He had been battling writer's block on the sixth book of the series, called THE PACK. In it, Emily's friend Nick becomes possessed by the spirit of a hyena along with four trouble-making classmates. The story flowed smoothly until it was time for the climactic scene. Angel had no idea what would be the climax, until now.

When he'd woken up just after dawn, he knew. It had come to him: the pack of hyena-possessed students - sans Nick - would eat the principal. It would be a major plot twist none of his devoted readers would see coming. Not wanting to wake his still-sleeping wife, Angel took his laptop computer out onto the balcony, hoping that the sound of the crashing waves might further inspire him.

He was so deeply involved in his writing that Angel never heard Buffy wake up and come up behind him. When he felt two hands touching his shoulders, he jumped. He sighed with relief when he saw that it was his wife.

"Buffy," he said, his heart still pounding. "You scared me half to death."

"Sorry," she apologized, bending down to place a kiss on his lips. Her hands massaged his muscles, feeling the knots between her fingers. "You know, honeymoons are supposed to be relaxing, but you're more tense than I've ever seen you."

"I'm relaxed, believe me."

She raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "Are you really? 'Cause I always classified relaxing as laying around in bed until we start to feel extremely lazy. And I get the feeling you haven't been out here for just ten minutes."

"Three hours, actually," Angel admitted. "All the typing didn't wake you, did it? I tried to be quiet."

"No, you didn't wake me. But I find it a little disconcerting to wake up at nine-thirty in the morning to an otherwise empty bed. Especially when I wanted to lay in my husband's arms for a little while longer."

"I'd been playing with this idea last night for the book, trying to figure out what could happen next. And it came to me this morning when I woke up. So I came out here to get it written while it was still fresh in my mind."

Still massaging his shoulders, Buffy curved her head downward to caress his neck with her lips. "Were you working out this plot idea of yours while we were making love last night?" she whispered in his ear.

The touch of her lips and the feeling of her breath on his neck sent the blood rushing straight to Angel's groin. "No, never," he replied huskily.

Buffy closed the laptop, which was sitting open on his lap, then placed it on the table next to the chair he was sitting on. "I think three hours is enough work for today. Time for something more…relaxing."

He knew exactly what she had in mind. "I need to get this out before I forget it."

"You've worked hard enough and long enough, my love. Let me help you forget for a little while."

***


	48. Chapter 48

48

SIX MONTHS LATER

It was five minutes to ten when Buffy stepped out of the bathroom following her shower. Upon walking into the master bedroom of the split-level home she and Angel bought shortly after their wedding, she found him sitting in bed with the laptop resting on his lap.

"Did you come up with any ideas yet?" she wanted to know. "You've been sitting there with that laptop attached to your hip for the past three days."

He shook his head. "Nothing. Maybe this plot twist is all wrong. It might be a big mistake."

"Don't say that, it's a great idea. The audience will be so surprised when they find out Alex is a vampire," Buffy assured him.

"I still don't know…"

"Well, what do the fans say when they write to you?"

Angel sighed. "Most of them are pushing for an Emily/Alex relationship. Having her find out the guy she's in love with is a 240-year old vampire might be too much."

"I think it's a terrific idea. Arch-enemies falling in love despite the fact that they've been programmed to hate each other…it's angsty and brilliant. Go for it, Angel. You have nothing to lose. Think of all the plot lines you could use in the future."

"I don't know where to go from here."

She sat down next to him. "Do you want to tell me? I might be able to help."

"This is as far as I've gotten so far. Emily sneaked Alex into her room the night before because she was afraid he'd be attacked by the three assassins they had fought earlier. She goes into her bedroom the next day to give him some food to eat and they start talking. One thing leads to another and they start to kiss. That's when Alex switches into game face. That's all I got so far."

"Is he a bad vampire?"

"No. Something made him change, but I don't know what."

Buffy thought for a minute. "He was cursed by gypsies in the nineteenth century for killing their favorite daughter. Alex was given a soul. He was so plagued by the guilt of his atrocious crimes that he has never fed off a living human being since that day."

"That's great, I love it. You should be writing this."

"I'll stick to taking pictures, thank you."

"Then what?"

She grinned mischievously. "Emily takes a home pregnancy test and finds out she's pregnant."

"Emily hasn't slept with anyone. I want Alex to be the first, but not for some time later. She can't be pregnant."

"Okay…so have the author's wife take a home pregnancy test and discover she's pregnant."

Angel stared at her like he was a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. "You're…you…we…" he stumbled.

Buffy nodded. "Uh-huh. I'm six weeks late and according to the test I just took, it's positive. We're having another baby."

He was at a loss for words. So he placed his hand on her belly, as if he were trying to feel their baby. "Our baby is in there."

"Yep."

"And I'll be here to see it all. I'll be able to experience everything I missed out on with Abrielle."

"You won't be so happy about that when I start to have the midnight cravings, mood swings, morning sickness and all the other fun stuff that goes along with being pregnant."

Angel ran his hands through her hair, stroking her cheek with the other. "I love you so much. And I am so happy we're having another baby."

"So am I. Abby's going to be a big sister, she'll be so excited. But since she's at day camp and we can't tell her right away, maybe we should have a private celebration."

"You shouldn't be drinking."

She loosened the top button on his shirt. "That wasn't the kind of celebration I was talking about, Daddy."

***

MARCH 23, 2009

In room 326 of Sunnydale Hospital, Buffy sat up in bed, holding her newborn daughter. She had been born the day before, at five twenty-eight in the afternoon, weighing eight pounds, five ounces. Already, she and Angel's daughter had a tuft of blonde hair on top of her tiny head and the most piercing blue eyes, like the Pacific Ocean.

Unbeknownst to Buffy, her husband stood in the doorway, watching them. It was a sight to behold: Buffy cradling their day-old daughter in her arms. The sight nearly brought a tear to his eye. He wanted to remember this moment for the rest of his life.

"Feeling up for some visitors?" Angel asked, announcing his presence.

Buffy looked up and smiled. "I'd love some. How long have you been standing there? I didn't even see you."

"Almost a minute. I couldn't take my eyes off my two beautiful girls."

"But Abby's not here."

He laughed. "I meant my other two girls. You and our new daughter. She looks just like her mother."

"Poor kid."

"Hey! Don't talk like that. She's lovely. Don't start."

"Who's watching Abrielle? Did you drop her off at Cordy's apartment before you came here?" Buffy wanted to know.

"Nope, she's here. Your father offered to take her to the bathroom so we could be alone for a few minutes." He glanced at his newborn daughter. "How is she today?"

Buffy sighed, inserting her finger between the baby's balled-up fist. "Tired, like her mother. But she seems very alert. Hasn't made a sound since the nurse brought her in here. And that was over forty-five minutes ago."

Angel sat down on the bed next to her, careful not to jostle the baby and wake her up. "You know, we really should give her a name. We can't call her 'it' for the rest of her life."

"Yeah, I was thinking about that last night."

"And did you come up with any ideas?"

"A few. Samantha, Alison, Sarah and Gillian. What do you think?"

He smiled, thinking about the different names she'd chosen. "Gillian Riches…it has a nice ring to it. I like that one."

"Abrielle Joyce and Gillian Adrienne. Our mothers will live on in our children."

"Mom!" Abrielle shouted when she entered the room.

Out of breath, Mr. Summers came in behind her. "Don't shout like that in a hospital. It's not polite and it might wake some of the babies. People are tired and need their sleep."

"Sorry, Grandpa," she apologized.

"Want to see your new little sister?" Angel asked her.

Abrielle's face lit up like a Christmas tree. She had been dying to see the new baby all day long. "Yeah!"

Angel picked her up and sat her down on his lap. A huge smile adorned the seven-year old's face, her green eyes sparkled with glee. "She's so little," she commented. "Is she always going to be so little?"

"Nope," her mother answered. "She's going to be as big as you are in a couple of years. But you'll always be her big sister."

"Wow. Can I touch her?"

"How would you like to hold her?" questioned Buffy. She ignored the look of terror in Angel's eyes, knowing he was thinking that Abrielle was far too young. But she completely trusted their daughter.

Abrielle's jaw dropped. "Can I?"

"Sure. Push your dad out of the way and sit next to me."

Against his better judgement, Angel stood up, allowing her to take his spot on the bed. He cast a nervous sigh when Buffy gently placed Gillian in Abrielle's arms, but relaxed when she didn't move the baby around. Instead, she just stared at Gillian, almost as if in awe of the baby.

"Have you two decided on a name yet?" Mr. Summers asked them.

Buffy nodded, keeping a careful watch on Abrielle. "Gillian Adrienne Riches. I wanted to name her after Angel's mother. After all, I named Abrielle after Mom. It only seemed fair."

Mr. Summers' eyes teared up when Buffy informed him of his new granddaughter's name. 'Now the two women I loved will live on forever in our granddaughters.' "It's beautiful. And Gillian is absolutely perfect. An exact replica of you when you were born, Buffy. You're so very lucky."

"I'm the luckiest person alive. Every single one of my wishes has come true. I am married to the man I've loved for my entire life, I have two adorable daughters and I'm making a living doing what I love. Life is perfect."

***


	49. Chapter 49

49

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER

The sun's rays shone into the bedroom window of Buffy and Angel's room. It woke him up, causing him to rub his eyes. Looking over at the alarm clock, he noted that it was almost six-thirty. 'Six and a half more hours. I can't believe it,' he thought. 'It's gone by so fast.'

Buffy lay in his arms, her head using his shoulder as a pillow. Even after seventeen years of marriage and four children, she was still beautiful; and still made his breath catch in his throat. Thirty years ago, he never would have imagined himself married to her, much less blissfully happy. In fact, he probably would have laughed in the face of the person who told him his life would be like this. Angel had never pictured himself married to Sunnydale's Ice Princess.

Their life was seemingly perfect. Buffy opened a studio and became a professional photographer, making a name for herself in the world of advertising and print ads. Ten years earlier, a year before the birth of their first son Matthew, she went out on tour with one of the most popular bands at the time as their official photographer.

Angel had continued writing the Slayer series; the books had become wildly popular, spawning a TV series and two successful movies. He even tried his hand at television writing, but preferred to stay at home in Sunnydale and write. As well as take care of the children while Buffy was working. In essence, he became a stay-at-home dad. He didn't want to miss out on one moment of his children's lives, like he had with the first five years of Abrielle's life.

After twelve years of not talking to one another, Angel and Melissa finally made peace. It happened when her third child, with her husband Cameron, died. Little Michael was playing ball in the front yard and was hit by a speeding car when his ball rolled into the street. The twins, at the funeral, decided that life was too short to spend it hating one another.

"Buffy," he whispered in her ear. "Time to wake up."

She moaned, but didn't open her eyes. It was daylight, though she knew it was far too early to be getting out of bed. "Not yet," she complained. "Still tired."

"It's Saturday. Remember what day it is?"

She thought, then opened her eyes with a start. How could she have forgotten? "It's Abby's wedding day!"

"Uh-huh. You didn't think I was going to let you sleep away the whole day, did you?" he joked. "The mother of the bride has to get up and get ready."

When she looked at the time, Buffy sighed. "It's only six-thirty. We don't have to be at the salon until eight. Why are you waking me up so damn early?"

"Because I know how long it takes you to crawl out of bed."

Buffy sat up, followed in suit by Angel. "Can you believe it? Our little Abrielle is getting married in a few hours."

"I know."

"She's too young. Just twenty-four years old."

"That's the same age we were when we got married," Angel pointed out. "She and Gavin have known each other since kindergarten, and have been dating since Junior High. They love each other."

She nodded her head. "Yeah, I know. But doesn't it make you feel kind of old, though?"

"We're only forty-three, Buffy. It's hardly old."

"I do feel old. When I was doing my hair for the wedding rehearsal last night, I found four gray hairs. Four! I've got gray hair!"

Angel laughed. "So do I, love. And mine's much more noticeable than yours is, believe me."

"On you it looks distinguished. People are going to be looking at me during the wedding ceremony and wonder why you're married to such an old woman," she whined.

"Since when did you get so concerned about your looks? You look beautiful."

"You won't be saying that when I start to sag and wrinkle up and gain another thirty pounds."

"Trust me, you're not sagging. You look just like you did back in high school. Just as beautiful and just as desirable."

She frowned. "You are just saying that to shut me up."

He pulled her into his arms. "How about if I show you?"

***

Abrielle was about to knock on her parents' bedroom door when she stopped suddenly. From inside, she heard low moans and the sound of the bed springs squeaking. She laughed.

"And here I thought I'd have to wake them up. Sounds like they're already awake," she muttered. "And up."

Gillian came up behind her. "Aren't you going to wake up Mom and Dad? We're gonna be late if they don't hurry up."

"I'd say they're up."

She wrinkled her nose. "What are you talking about? Why haven't they come down for breakfast yet?" she wanted to know.

"They are busy."

"Doing what?"

Abrielle sighed. "Can't you hear them? Mom and Dad are having sex, Gillian."

"Ew! I don't want to hear that! That's gross."

"I think it's sweet. After all these years, they still find each other sexy."

"You're gross, Abby. Those are our parents you're talking about."

"I hope Gavin and I are like them when we've been married for twenty years. So in love with each other. You'd think Mom and Dad were still teenagers, the way they act sometimes. I want my marriage to be just like theirs," she stated.

***

"Still think you're old?" Angel asked. "I couldn't keep up with you."

She giggled. "I might need a refresher later on."

"After the wedding. I think we should make an appearance downstairs before the kids wonder what happened to us."

"Good idea," Buffy agreed. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For making all my dreams come true. You loved me, married me and gave me four wonderful children. You gave me everything I ever wanted, Angel," she told him.

Angel kissed her lovingly on the lips. "I love you. Forever."

"Forever. I like the sound of that."

**The End.**


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